Baby Blues
by polarbear815
Summary: Set five years after graduation, Puck and Rachel meet up again with small little situation at hand. Puckleberry, Quam, and some Santana thrown in.
1. Chapter 1

**I actually wrote this last night because i can never sleep on christmas eve lol. So anyway, here's something new. Enjoy and Happy Christmahanakwanza!**

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><p>Rachel knew that she'd regret coming to the jazz bar the moment she walked in. Besides it being too crowded and besides the drunken people wandering aimlessly around the room, she felt alone. She thought this would cheer her up. Coming out into the town for a night to enjoy some music. But being out here and seeing all these other couples interacting made her feel even more alone.<p>

"How many?" the hostess asked her. Rachel's hands automatically moved to her belly, but she answered a stiff "One."

The table was set in the far corner, which she was grateful for. The smooth red cloth felt nice under her fingers. She sipped lightly at her water and watched the people around the room. The men picking up the women who played hard to get. The more straight forward women who leaned into these conversations, most of them who brushed their hair behind their eyes and moved down to expose their cleavage. Rachel sighed. How she wished she could be like them, flirting with men, getting their numbers.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her waiter. "Can I offer you another drink?" he asked. She shook her head. "Something to eat?" he said.

"Just a salad please." She answered back. He gave her a smile before leaving her alone again. The room got darker and a man appeared on stage announcing that the show would begin soon. The people quieted and a different man appeared on the stage.

He had a guitar in hand, loose jeans and a dark blue button down shirt. Rachel's phone vibrated, causing her eyes to tear away to grab it from her hand bag. She saw the number and sighed. Her dads were always checking up on her these days.

She nearly dropped her phone when the man started singing. She'd know that voice anywhere. Her head shot up to see that the singer was the man she thought he was. Those hazels, that voice, even the swagger he had when he crossed the stage. Of course it was him. It couldn't have been anyone else.

She smiled widely as Noah Puckerman strung the correct chords on the guitar all while letting his voice melt across the room. He sounded even better then she had remembered. Looked even better without the signature mohawk, though she would admit she was a tad disappointed when she didn't see it right away. His eyes scanned the room as he sang, until they eventually landed on her.

He wasn't sure it was her at first. He actually almost stopped singing, got up and went over to see if it was her. But he kept going, until smiling seeing that she was indeed, Rachel. Her hair had gotten longer but it was still the chocolate color he remembered and it still fanned around her face perfectly. He sent her a wink before finishing his song. The room clapped, the women sending him seductive smiles. He left the stage just as the next act came on.

"Rachel fucking Berry." He said walking over to her. The smile she was still wearing managed to get larger. He sat down at the seat next to her.

"Hello Noah. It'd been so long." She said. She reached out to grab his hand and he chuckled.

"I guess if you count like five years long." He joked. She was about to respond when her waiter came over and gave Puck a beer.

He left so Rachel continued. "I do. God, has it been five years since graduation?" she laughed. Puck squeezed her hand before removing it to take a sip on his beer. He choked on his gulp when he saw the way Rachel's hand was placed on her bulged stomach.

"Shit, are you pregnant?" he blurted out after swallowing his beer. She blushed and he thought about how cute that was, only to mentally smack himself in the face because if she was pregnant a dude was certainly trailing.

"Yes, Noah I am." She answered. She was worried how he'd take her answer but the warm smile he gave her sent her shivers.

"Congrats Berry. How far along are ya?" he asked taking another sip. "A little over 8 months." She answered. He remembered how big Quinn looked at 8 months. Rachel was definitely smaller, but the girl was tiny as hell.

Rachel's salad came and she asked Puck if he wanted anything but he declined. "Naw Berry, I'm good. But I was just wondering…" he started. Oh here we go, Rachel thought. "If you knew it was a girl or boy yet?" he asked. He almost seemed shy. This made her laugh loudly. She shook her head though.

"I want to be surprised." She said. As if on cue something happened. The look that now possessed Rachel's face made Puck worried.

"What is it?" he asked. She started breathing rapidly until finally mustering out, "I think my water just broke."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you can drive?" Rachel asked Puck for what seemed to be the thousandth time. He held her around the waist as she gripped tightly onto his arm. He opened up the passenger seat of the car for her and then helped her in.<p>

"Berry I had like a sip. I'm fine." He said before shutting the door. He sprinted to the other side and hopped in. "Do you need me to call anyone?" he asked turning on the car. He pulled out of the spot and Rachel just shook her head. "Your dads?" Puck tried.

"Are in Ohi-o" she groaned. Her eyes shut tightly at the pain. Puck felt helpless just driving the car so he kept talking.

"You think of any names yet?" he asks. She shakes her head no. "Well with the last name Berry it's going to need a hell of a name to carry that shit around." He joked. She slapped him on the arm, scoffing. He smiled, turning at the next block.

"How about if it's a girl you name her Cherry?" he laughed. "Cherry Berry." He said.

"You are such a child." She managed to get out. He laughs again just as they're pulling into the emergency room entrance.

A nurse comes out, and Puck tells her that his friend's about to have a baby and better get a fucking wheelchair out here now. Rachel hits him again.

He gets out of the car and to the passenger side to help her out. He's just getting her down when the nurse brings out the wheelchair. Together they manage to get Rachel in it. Puck starts wheeling her into the hospital yelling at the people that she's having a baby.

It reminds him so much of when Quinn gave birth. But Quinn had at least ten other people with her. This is just him and Rach. Not to mention it's at least almost midnight and there isn't a lot of people in the hospital. He's gotta say though, he's really glad he is here cause he's got a feeling that if he wasn't, Berry would be doing this alone.

He wheels her into a room and the doctor props her on the table asking all sorts of questions that Rachel shouts the answers to. Puck's put in these girly ass pink scrubs but it doesn't matter because Rachel's squeezing onto his hand as if he suddenly might disappear.

"I ain't going anywhere baby." He whispers. She nods, tears in her eyes. The doctor announces that she's crowning and tells her to push. She wails out and the doctor tells her to push again. She lets out a strangled sound but it's replaced with the cries of her baby. Rachel's head falls back in relief, a slow smile spreading over her face.

"Noah," she whispers. It's an unspoken question.

"It's a girl, Berry. She's beautiful." He answers. The doctors clean off the newborn and bring her over to Rachel. Rachel stirs and sits upright, letting them gently place her in Rachel's arms. She coo's at the little girl, smiling tearily. She sees Noah kneel down next to her and watches him stroke her baby's soft cheek.

"She looks just like you." He mumbles, smiling. She looks at him then back at her baby. They're perfect bubble is interrupted when the doctors ask if Noah's the father.

He smirks at Rachel but shakes his head. "A close friend." He answers back. As Rachel stares into her precious angel's chocolate eyes she can't help but wish that Noah was the father.

* * *

><p>"Hey Rach?" Puck says leaning against the wall. He glances in at Rachel's baby through the glass. Sleeping, looking perfect. He's having a terrible sense of déjà vu. All he can hope is that Rachel doesn't ask him if he loves her. Then he might actually pass out.<p>

She tears her gaze from her baby to his waiting eyes. "Yes?"

"Rach, where's the father?" he finally asks her. There's a tone of defeat that enters her eyes.

Her head shakes lightly. "I don't know." She answers honestly.

Puck frowns. "Well can I ask you what happened?"

"Happened?" she repeats.

"Yeah, like how this baby ended up in your picture." He says. He's got an expectant eyebrow raised and she sighs.

"A while ago I met a guy." She starts. "I know so cliché right?" she chuckles. "Anyway, a one night stand with a guy from a bar turned into a pregnancy test with two pink lines. I asked around to see who knew him, but it was like he didn't even exist. No one knew who he was, where he was from. He was just some guy. I kept expecting to see him on the streets or something, but I never did." She finished.

Puck let all this sink in before opening his mouth again. "Are you planning on raisin' her alone?" he asked. Rachel looks back to her baby and bites her bottom lip. Puck sees her head nod slightly.

"Well I gotta a place big enough for at least four." He admits. Rachel looks back at him to see him smiling. She swallows the lump in her throat before she reaches over to pull him into a hug.

She loves the way she feels there. His hands feel great wrapped around her waist and he smells exactly the way she remembers he smelled in high school. Woods and man. He's got this homey feel, and not to mention the gentlest touch. She pulls out of the hug but he keeps her there against his chest.

"Did ya think of a name yet?" he asks. She shrugs. "No, but they won't let us leave until I do."

It's silent for a minute as they stare her baby. Rachel starts racking her brain for ideas but keeps ending up at one. She loves it but doesn't want Puck to freak out. She doesn't know that Puck's doing the same thing but he can only come up with one. The same one.

"Caroline." She whispers. It's so low Puck almost thinks that he's imagining it because it's exactly what he's been thinking. She says it again, louder this time. "Caroline." She repeats. Puck's grip tightens around Rachel and a smile breaks over his face.

"That's prefect." He responds. And really Rachel doesn't think it could get any better.

* * *

><p>"Caroline please, mommy can't hear herself think." She says to the crying baby. She bounces her up and down as Puck moves the furniture around to make room for Rachel's stuff. And does the girl have a lot of shit.<p>

The crib was easy enough to put together, Caroline's even got her own room. But now Puck's got to work on moving the shit Rachel doesn't need into the crawl space all while listening to Rachel's baby cry.

Puck groans getting off the ground and walks over to where Rachel is standing. She looks like she's about to pass out. "Rach, give me Cara and go to sleep." he says. Rachel starts shaking her head but Puck pry's the baby from her arms, bouncing her up and down like Rachel was before.

"Sleep. In my bed. It's clean, go." He orders. She frowns, runs her hand along Caroline's cheek before retreating to his bedroom.

He starts rubbing circles on her back which seems to calm her down. He sighs when the house becomes quiet. For some reason though, he doesn't think it will last too long so decides to head out. He leaves a note for Rachel on the kitchen counter so she doesn't freak before grabbing the baby bag and heading to the one place he can go to for help.

Walking the streets of Baltimore with a baby is easier said then done. He expected to be at their house in less the ten minutes, but every old person or woman has stopped to admire the child in his arms. Saying how cute she was and how lucky he was to have her as a daughter. Those kind of stung, because he felt the longing of actually wanting to claim her as his.

He eventually does make it though, ringing the bell and getting sent up right away. When Sam opens the door he actually takes a step back and frowns before a stunned look passes over his face.

"Holy shit you stole a baby!" he yells. Caroline starts to cry again and Puck glares at his friend. "The fuck dude? What did you do? Is she yours? Where'd you get her?" he rushes out. Puck bounces the baby and walks inside. He's see's the back of Quinn's head on the couch but she turns around giving him the same look that Sam did.

"Puck? Who's baby is that?" she asks cautiously. Puck rolls his eyes then turns back to Sam.

"It isn't mine. I didn't steal it and it's Berry's." he answers.

"Berry's?" the blonde duo says in union. Puck nods, getting Caroline to quiet down. Quinn hops off the couch and shuffles over to them.

"As in Rachel Berry? Our Rachel Berry?" she confirms. Puck nods.

Sam frowns, thinking. "Wait, you and Berry are together? Or did you just screw up?" he asks. Still holding onto Caroline, Puck manages to hit him on the shoulder.

"Neither. She came to the Purple Lady last night when I was working. We started talking and next thing I know I'm with her at the hospital while she's giving birth." He says. Quinn's delicate eyebrows raise in surprise, but Sam speaks up again.

"So wait where's the father? He ditch her?" he asks. Puck nods. Sam shakes his head disapproving and Quinn moves closer to Puck. She's smiling at the baby, who is smiling back at her.

"Hey baby, I'm Quinn." She whispers. She sticks her finger out to the babies open palm and it closes. Quinn chuckles.

"Does she have a name?" Quinn asks Puck.

Puck nods. "Caroline."

Quinn's mouth actually falls open but she shuts it quickly. Sam looks at the two confused. "Well not to be rude man, but what're you doing here with Rachel's baby?" Sam asks.

Puck sighs. "Rach moved in with me cause she was gonna do this alone and there was no way in hell I was letting her do that. Cara was crying and Rachel needed to sleep."

Quinn nods, taking Caroline from Puck's arms and walking over to the couch to leave the boys to talk. She'd find out about it later from Sam, but she had a feeling that Rachel wouldn't want her newborn to be around two cussing men.

"Dude, I don't got a clue what to do." He admits. Puck walks over to their apartments kitchen bar and plops down on a stool. Sam grabs a beer for himself and a soda for Puck. He hands it to him and leans on the counter across from him.

"I don't know, but you gotta help her out and shit. Like if this guy just up and left her she's gonna be pissed about that." Sam says.

"It was a one night stand. She didn't know shit about him." Puck responds taking a sip. He listens to Quinn across the room talking quietly to the baby.

Sam sighs. "Well then congratulations I guess you're a dad." He says raising his glass as a toast before drinking it. Puck raises an eyebrow, a little confused. "Dude, you let her move in with a baby, obviously you fucking care about her." He suggested.

Puck nodded. "I do. We were pretty close." He mumbles.

"More then close. She lost her virginity to you at prom. Rachel Berry had sex with you of all people." He paused. "What the fuck happened?" he asks.

Puck shook his head. "No fucking clue. Shit was great. We weren't together but we were like best friends. Then she went to New York and I came here. I wonder how she ended up here." he said.

"What do you mean here?" Sam asks. He looks at his girlfriend tickling the baby just to hear her giggle. It makes him smile.

"In Baltimore. She was supposed to be on Broadway and shit. I wonder what happened." He said. Sam shrugged.

"Wait a minute. If Rachel's staying at your house with the baby, what the fuck did you say to _her_?" Sam asks.

"Who?" Puck responds. Sam gives him the most obvious expression and Puck scrunches his nose. "Shit."

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><p>Rachel stirs when she hears the front door slam loudly. She wouldn't have thought much of it if it wasn't for the heels the clicked across the hardwood floor. Rachel starts to panic; she hadn't considered the fact that he might've had a girlfriend. Of course he would have a girlfriend.<p>

She sits up in the bed when the door swings open and a familiar voice says, "Puck I'm home."

Rachel sits wide eyed at the woman in front of her. Dark skin, dark eyes, still beautiful, probably more so now. "Berry?" she says stunned. Rachel cracks a nervous smile, hoping to heaven that Puck and her aren't dating and she won't bash her face in.

"Hey, Santana, how's it been?"

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><p><strong>Dum dum dum! lol. well anyway let me know if this is good and if you guys want anymore? Reviews are awesome. ;)<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! Wow i was totally shocked with all the subs and what not, so i tried my best to get it out as soon as possible. Soooo... here it is and a warning for smut.**

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><p>When Santana drops her bag on the kitchen counter something feels off. It's way too quiet and there's shit everywhere. Like boxes. She frowns going to Puck's room, listening for the usual sex sounds, but hears none and enters.<p>

"Puck I'm home." She says. Instead of Puck, though, she finds Rachel Berry. Wide eyed, and looking scared shitless. "Berry?" she says. Rachel seems to force this awkward as hell smile.

"Hey, Santana, how's it been?" she says. Santana raises an eyebrow, letting her jaw fall slack.

"Are you and Puckerman screwing around again?" Santana asks. She sets her keys down on Puck's cluttered dresser before walking towards the bed. She sits down at the edge and seriously she thinks Berry's gonna have a heart attack.

"No! God no!" she says. Santana gives her a skeptical look before digging out her phone to send a text to Puckerman, asking why Berry was lying all cute and nervous in his bed.

"Not to be a bitch," she laughs. "But why the fuck are you here?"

Rachel's mouth opens then shuts. She resolves to something else. "Noah's letting me stay here." she lands on. Santana sighs thinking this over.

"Alright whatever. But if you touch or eat or drink any of my shit, we're gonna have a problem. We clear?" Santana says.

Rachel nods quickly and Santana chuckles. "It's good to see ya Berry." She admits. Rachel finally lets that scared puppy dog look over her face disappear as she smiles.

"Oh you to Santana." She sighs. "How have you been?" she asked. Santana's shoulders shrug.

"The usual, I guess. Being my bitchy self." She laughs. "But now I get paid." She smirks. Rachel raises an eyebrow. "I'm a lawyer now. Finally got hired actually."

Rachel's smile is blinding. "That's fantastic!" she says. "Oh, how is it? I bet you're really good."

"I am." She says smugly. "And it's probably the best thing that ever happened to me." she pauses. "How on earth are we having a civil conversation?" she asks.

Rachel chuckles and rolls her eyes. "I'm less crazy and you're less of a bitch?" she suggests. Santana smiles wide.

"And it looks like someone grew some balls." Santana says. When they both start laughing they can't hear the front door open.

"Rachel?" Puck calls out.

"In here." she responds. Puck walks into his bedroom finding Santana smiling at Rachel. She looks over to greet Puck and her eyes widen at the baby. Before she can even open her mouth Puck cuts in. "I didn't steal her. She's Rachel's." he says. Santana's eyes move to Rachel who's blushing and nodding.

The last person Santana ever thought to get knocked up before thirty was Rachel. Well her first then Rachel. But still. Rachel had like the twenty year plan and she bets a kid wasn't in it. She looks back at the small child in Puck's arm. She can't be over three weeks old. But the child is undoubtedly Berry's. Those eyes are hers exactly. She wonders who the father is and wonders why she's in her and Puck's apartment. But instead of asking Puck all these questions burning in her head she asks something else.

"Can I hold her?"

Rachel and Puck both have obvious looks of surprise but Puck steps over and gradually sets the child in her arms. Santana smiles so big Puck thinks there's something wrong with her. She hadn't been this happy since, well in a long time.

"God, she's beautiful." She mumbles. "What's her name?" she asks Rachel.

"Caroline." She responds.

"Are you shitting me?" Santana retorts. She looks back and forth between Rachel and Puck then back at Caroline.

"No Tanna, her name's Caroline, is that a problem?" Puck pushes. She smirks at him before chuckling. "No, suppose it's not. But I do have to be going." She says. She hands the baby over to Rachel before hopping off the bed. She grabs some money off Puck's dresser along with her keys before stalking out of the room.

Puck is at loss of words. So much shit has gone down in the past couple of weeks that he can't even wrap his head around it. He's got responsibilities and shit now. It kind of scares him. Other then taking care of San when she was shit faced drunk and crying over Brittany, he hadn't had too much to worry about.

Work was easy. A couple gigs here and there, paying for his share of rent. Santana was a lawyer, and with her dad being rich as hell, money wasn't ever a problem for the two of them. But now there's this little baby in the picture. And Rachel. Taking the two of them in was the nicest thing he's ever done.

Like shit, the only thing that made him remotely human was when he told Sam not to purpose to Quinn. Quinn told him like a week earlier that she thought Sam was going to but she wasn't ready. He saved his friends a hell of a heart ache.

Well then of course there was Santana, who was a fucking wreck. But they were tied together in ways no one could understand so he built her back up. Pushed her forward and helped her when she needed it the most.

He isn't really sure how these situations compare to those that he's in now but it sorta makes him feel better that he knows he can at least try. So he strips off his winter coat then turns on his flat screen. Landing on some bullshit he won't watch but it seems to peek Rachel's attention. He crawls into the bed next to her and when she looks at his for an explanation he simply drops a kiss to her temple, then Caroline's.

Rachel blushes but smiles kindly. "I honestly don't know what I'd do without you." She admits. He smiles one of those rare ones that makes her heart swell because he never smiles like that unless he's really happy.

He leans back in the bed, getting comfy and watching the lame show. "Me too baby, me too."

* * *

><p><em>"This is gay." Noah says. Rachel rolls her eyes and frowns. "Sorry." He mutters. She shakes her head, straitening his tie.<em>

_"It isn't gay." She sneers. "It's sleek. And honestly you look quite handsome." She smiles. He chuckles._

_"I know. I'm hot." He stated. Another eye roll is earned but the blush that creeps up her neck turns him on. Which sort of worries him because this is Rachel. And even though he's single, she's single, it's just not gonna happen. Everyone knows that it's not gonna happen. Doesn't matter how much he wants it to, shit doesn't matter._

_She steps back to admire her masterpiece. "Kurt's going to be proud." She says smugly. Puck scoffs, looking at himself in the mirror. It isn't like his last Prom attire. That Prom he just wanted to stand out and make everyone look at him. But now here he is, in a simple all black tux with a red skinny tie. To say he didn't look badass would be like saying, well, that he didn't look badass. Cause he fucking did._

_"You gonna get changed or what?" he asks, turning around. Rachel's still in a tshirt (his, don't ask where she got it cause he ain't really sure) and sweats. The only thing that's done is her hair and makeup. And her hair's just down and is as simple as the makeup. She looks good._

_She glances at the time nodding and hurrying into her bathroom. Puck looks at himself in the mirror again, running his hand over his now bare head. How Berry convinced him to let her maim him was beyond him. Well actually she just got this cute little pout that he melted into like a pussy. He was whipped and they weren't even dating._

_The door unlocks and Puck actually sucks in a breath. The silver-blue dress Rachel has on cuts off right before the knee. There's a thin strap wrapped around her neck and her cleavage is showing just the right amount. Not like other girls who'd probably prefer to go to Prom in just a bra if it were up to them._

_"Well?" she breathes. She does a 360 with her hands held in a shrugging position. When she faces back at him he's laughing. She frowns immediately thinking about how stupid she was to let Kurt pick out her dress._

_"You look gorgeous." He said. She's blushing furiously now. Last time Puck called a girl gorgeous and meant it was probably never. But the sincerity and honesty behind his hazels gives her the confidence boost she needs. "You ready to go?" he asks._

_She nods ready to leave but Puck tugs at her arm and the next thing she knows she has a light purple carnation wrapped around her wrist. She didn't really expect much from Noah, given they were just going together as friends, but the gesture is so sweet she stands on her tippy toes to kiss him gently on the lips._

_"Thank you. Everything's perfect, really." She admits. He smirks at her, letting his hand fall to the small of her back as they walk out to leave._

_"Baby you ain't seen nothing yet."_

* * *

><p><em>"You think Quinn's going to win this year?" she asks Puck as he moves with her to the music. He rolls his eyes.<em>

_"Course she's gonna win Ber. Quinn started planning this since when she lost last year." He said. Rachel chuckles. "But I'm not so sure about him. He lost major points when he cheated on you. Again."_

_She frowns but feels some comfort from Puck's assurance. Since being friends with him she's learned that he's one of the most honest people she knows. Good or bad, he'll tell you the truth. He basically says whatever's on his mind. At first Rachel thought it was rude but then she realized she wished everyone did that all the time. Then no one would go around wondering all the time. Wondering if he loved her back, if there was food in their teeth, if those pants did make her look fat. Puck would straight up tell you, she liked that about him._

_She's interrupted from her thoughts when Santana comes up and taps her on the shoulder. "I need to dance with my boy, if that's okay Rachie bear." She smiles. Rachel eyes the Latina who went with an all-black, skin tight, mini dress. It looks like a second skin on her._

_"Of course Santana. I hope you and Brittany win this year." She said honestly. Santana smiles._

_"You better." She challenges with a smirk. Rachel just laughs and leaves Noah with a girl she's actually become okay with senior year. After her and Brittany got together, all of her bitch was focused on people who didn't except her for who she was. Or who Brittany was. When people talked about Brittany though that usually ended in a few broken noses and suspensions._

_She sits down at an open table watching her classmates dancing. Sam comes to sit next to her, offering her some punch. She takes it asking him how his night is going. He says he wishes Mercedes wasn't still with 'the beast'. Rachel chuckles at the nickname but squeezes his hand in reassurance._

_"Things will work out between you two." She tells him. He raises an eyebrow but smiles a little._

_"You done fondling my date Evans?" Puck's voice asks. Rachel turns to object at what he's saying but he's laughing. "Baby, you wanna dance again?"_

_She nods shyly taking his open hand and following him back to the dance floor. A slow song begins to play and Puck's hands fall to her waist, tugging her flush against him. "Much better." He mutters, smirking. She chuckles, setting her arms around his neck. She decides leaning her head against his shoulder wouldn't be such a bad idea, so she does this. Though she can't see, Puck smiles, still moving with the music._

_He catches Sam's eye who raises his glass to him and nods. Puck laughs silently and shoots him the bird. "Noah." He hears. He looks down at Rachel still curled against his chest, her eyes are closed._

_"What's up babe?" he asks._

_"I'm just really happy." She sighs. He has to bite the inside of his mouth so he doesn't turn her and kiss her like he wants to. That would just fuck everything up. He results in just nodding. "Me too Berry." He says._

_They're disturbed by a voice neither of them wants to hear. "Hey Rachel. Puck." Finn greets. "Didn't know you two were back together." He comments._

_Rachel removes her head from Puck's chest and looks angrily at the boy. "Not that it's any of your business, we aren't, though it shouldn't matter to you." She states. Puck smiles proudly at Rachel before turning it into a smug expression to Finn._

_"Well it does Rach. It's always going to matter." The taller teen says. Puck looks back at Rachel who's expression doesn't falter._

_"Finn, for lack of better words, go fuck yourself." She spits. Puck laughs heavily and lets Rachel drag him away and into the hallway. He's still laughing when they get out there but Rachel starts pacing._

_"Girl that was hot as hell. I'm so fuckin proud of ya." Puck says. She stops pacing and turns to him with something flying in her eyes. He's never seen this look on her before. A mix of confidence, vulnerability, lust, worries. It's like all these different emotions are just boiling under her gaze. _

_She doesn't really know what's going through her head but she takes three large steps toward Noah before crushing her lips against his. He's thrown off her self-confidence but melts into her kiss, gripping tightly at her hips. She shoves her tongue into his mouth, scratching her nails along his chest._

_"Noah." She groans. He turns her so now she's against the wall, putting his body against hers, much like how they were dancing not so long ago. He nips at her neck then sucking at her pulse point, making sure he makes her mark._

_"God, Noah, I need you." She mutters. He tears himself away from her to stare into her lust-filled eyes. She nods, putting both hands on both his cheeks before kissing him on the lips. "Please." She whispers._

_"I have the key to the nurse's office." He rushes. She blushes, smiling. She tugs at his hand half running, walking to the nurse's office. The get to the end of the hall and Puck pulls his keys out of his pocket, searching for the right one, but can't really focus because Rachel's running her hand gently along his side, which shouldn't be so distracting but it fucking is._

_He gets the right key and opens the door immediately, pushing her inside. She giggles, and hell if that didn't go straight to his dick. He kisses her again, pulling her into the room with the beds for sick students. Or for when he needs a nap, but whatever._

_He picks her up, setting her on the closest one. She shimmies back, untying the strap around her neck. Puck smirks at her, removing his tie, unbuttoning his shirt and removing it all before she can get her strap undone._

_"I think it's stuck." She laughs. He rolls his eyes, sitting in front of her, both legs on either side. He moves his hand behind her neck as she holds up her hair. She smiles shyly at him the entire time, making him even harder. He finally gets it undone and kisses her shoulder, causing her shiver. His hands move down her arms, then to grip both her thighs._

_He goes to kiss her on the lips again just as she moves to his belt buckle. He starts skimming his hands under her dress until finding her panties. He smirks against her lips as he takes them off her. She helps him moving her legs up, giving him a view of her wet center. And shit he almost loses it right then and there._

_He holds it together removing her entire dress. Now all he can think about is having this girl, that he's fucking wanted since forever, naked. And wanting him. Choosing him as her first guy._

_Her hair falls back down at after the garment is removed and words can't describe how she looks to him. "Holy shit Rach." He mutters before kissing her bare chest. Her breath catches in her throat and she lets out a sexy moan when he captures one of her nipples in his mouth._

_Rachel is utterly speechless. And this never happens to her. Ever. She can't describe what he feels like to her, what this feels like. How someone with rough hands can making them move so gently over her body. Or how he knows exactly where to touch to get the right reactions._

_He lets one of his fingers ghost over her entrance, she moans his name, and god is that not the hottest thing he's ever heard. He starts to rub the sensitive bunch of nerves before plunging a finger in. A gasp. He switches to her other breast. Another moan. He adds another finger. She squeals. Another finger._

_Her walls start clenching and he knows she's closes to he kisses her on the mouth, hard. It feels like he's being electrocuted when she finally comes undone, but in that good, holy mother this is the best experience of my life way._

_His name leaves her lips more then once as she rides out an undoubtedly amazing orgasm. He kisses her again, walking over to the drawer to where the nurse keeps the condoms, silently thanking god for letting him decide on the nurse's room. He slides off his shoes, pants and underwear._

_Even in the darkness of the room he can see Rachel blushing. He smirks, walking back over to Rachel and tearing the condom open. He slides it on himself then grabs both of Rachel's legs, pulling her towards him. She lets out a mix between a giggle and a squeal._

_"Rach…?" he asks. Instead of answering she pulls his face down to hers, kissing him._

_"I want you." She breathes against him. And no, his heart does not stop in his chest or skip a beat or some shit. It totally doesn't._

_He's still standing, but she's at the edge of the bed now, so he positions himself against her before sliding in painfully slow. She lets out a hiss and he mutters "sorry" but tries to kiss the pain away. He lets his lips linger on hers until he hears her say "Move."_

_Never in his entire life has he taken orders from a woman during sex. Not even Santana who's the most bossy mother fucker ever. But when she says move, it takes all he can do not to pound into her like he wants to._

_He takes it slow, until her hips start meeting his thrusts and she's grounding her nails into his back. She bites his ear, then his neck, back to his lips. He knows she's going to fall apart again when she starts groaning his name. And yeah if it were up to him that'd be the only way she'd ever say his name, like ever. _

_"Come on baby, come for me." he whispers. Her walls clench and she lets out a high pitched sound that can only be described as the most perfect noised in the world. She let's go and he does the same, spilling himself into the condom._

_For a minute he can't move, he just stays there and listens to both there uneven breathing. He eventually moves, disposing of the condom in the waste basket. He pulls on his underwear and hands Rachel her dress. He catches her eye and she gives him a small smile. "Thanks." She said quietly. He nods putting on his clothes. He finishes up but keeps fumbling with the tie. Rachel's got her dress back on and hops off the bed, walking over to him. He smirks to himself at her walk. Thoroughly fucked, he thinks. He loves that he knows that he did that to her, that she's going to wake up tomorrow with an ache and just think about him._

_Her tiny hands move the material of the tie quickly and put it back in its place, neatly on his chest. "Thanks." He says. She nods, slipping her heels back on. She walks out of the room and he follows behind her. She catches sight of herself in the mirror and lets out a huff._

_"Oh god, I look-"_

_"Hot as hell? Sexy? Beautiful?" Puck offers. She rolls her eyes but turns to smile at him._

_"Come on, we should go before people start wondering where we've gone. I don't want them to get the wrong idea." She told him. She walks out of the office, he does the same, closing the door and locking it. He takes back the key and slides it on the loop with the rest of his._

_"Now what idea would that be?" he asks her. She gives a simple shrug of the shoulders and he puts his hand on her back. They walk back towards the auditorium but Puck stops her outside the door._

_"Wait." He mutters. She looks into his eyes. "I just gotta do something first." He leans down to kiss her on the lips again. Letting them stay like that for only a few seconds before pulling away. He smiles gently at her and she does the same._

_Through the doors of the auditorium they can hear Figgin's announcing the Prom King and Queen. "You sure you wanna go in there?" he asks._

_She smirks. "Bring it." She echoes. He chuckles, interlocking his hand with hers, bringing them inside. All the nominees are already on stage. Mike, Finn, Sam, Blaine, and some shit head no one knows. For the ladies, Quinn, Tina, Santana, Brittany and Kurt._

_Sam looks and see's Puck and Rachel's hands intertwined. Looking at Puck, he raises an eyebrow, Puck just smirks giving him his answers. Sam chuckles to himself and Figgin's starts talking again._

_"And the King is…" he says. He opens the envelope. "Samuel Evans!" He shouts. Sam's smile crosses his entire face. He didn't think he'd actually win; he just did it because Puck asked him so Hudson would lose votes. Sam takes the crown and Figgin's starts up again. "And your Queen is.." another envelope. "Quinn Fabray!"_

_Quinn literally jumps up and down, a blinding smile in place. She doesn't even seem mad that her boyfriend didn't win. She accepts her crown and takes Sam's waiting hand as he leads her to the dance floor for the King and Queen dance._

_"Poor Frankenteen." Puck chuckles. Rachel laughs next to him._

_"You know, I wouldn't have cared either way." She giggles. Puck nodded squeezing her hand. "Good thing Berry, cause it'd be hard to remain friends with ya if you were still pinning for the asswipe." He says._

_She frowns to herself, at the 'friends' label but he nudges her side. "You wanna get outta here? Maybe go out to eat or something?" he asks. "I mean other then the hot sex, this prom blows." He whispers. She shivers slightly but nods._

_"Okay, but you're buying." She agrees. He chuckles._

_"So how bout McDonald's dollar menu?" he jokes. She slaps him on the shoulder as they walk out. They continue like that the whole way to his car, going back and forth about fast food. She's happy they're back to the way they were, but silently inside wishes for more._

* * *

><p>Puck snaps upright, his eyes flying open. He has a thin line of sweat over his forehead. He hears a light snore and turns to see Rachel lying there, sleeping. He wonders when she put Caroline to bed. A glance at the digital clock tells him it's only 3 am.<p>

His head falls back on his pillow with a thud. What in the fuck was that about? Last time he had a sex dream about Berry was in High School. But they were never so vivid, so real. He sits thinking about that night. It was probably, no definitely, the best night of his life. He shuts his eyes tightly trying to get all the images and memories about Rachel moaning his name out of his head. He thinks about how she's just laying right there next to him. He wonders if she wants it as bad as he does.

He stops. He wants it, doesn't he? Yeah he does, bad. "Shit." He whispers to himself. All he can hope is that Rachel wants him back. Like, if she wanted him in High School, couldn't she still want him now?

He thinks about how living with her just got that much harder.

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><p><strong>Hooray for flashbacks! lol so anyway how was it? Leave a review, peace :)<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**AHHHH HERE IT IS. lol this one's short but don't worry major shit going down in the next one... Enjoy!**

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><p>Rachel's laughter echoes throughout his apartment and all the way into his room. He can hear Santana's voice as well, followed by more laughs. He gets up out of bed and trudges into the kitchen to find three of his favorite ladies.<p>

Rachel and Santana both have their cheeks puffed up, Santana with her tongue stuck out and Rachel's eyes closed. Caroline is in her high chair clapping happily at the two women. When Santana moves in to blow a kiss on Cara's cheek she makes a giggling sound that causing them to laugh. He's so surprised by Santana's happiness that he just stands there to watch for at least ten minutes. Rachel does the same as Santana was doing but adds in a little tickle to her babies sides.

"God dammit, I want one." Santana laughs. Rachel's nose scrunches in her giggles. Caroline tries to mimic her mother and when the women get sight of this it brings them into a whole other fit of laughter.

"Not to intrude, but what in god's name are you two doing?" he finally says. Rachel and Santana both peak their heads to the side showing their equally bright smiles.

"Come here, you gotta try this Puck." Santana says waving her hand towards them. He obliges standing in front of Caroline with the two. "Okay so you puff up your cheeks like this." Santana says, puffing up her cheeks. She looks ridiculous and he honestly wants to keel over on the floor to die of laughter, but he continues listening. "Then," her words are slightly incoherent because of her cheeks; she sounds like a toddler. "Make a funny face like this." Tongue out, eyes closed. "And watch Cara." She mumbles through her tongue.

Puck stares at the baby who seems transfixed on Santana's goofy face. Her lips suddenly start to stick out, her eyes trying to focus on them. Her little eyebrows scrunch together in concentration, but ends up flailing her arms up and down in defeat.

It's the cutest thing Puck's ever seen in his entire life.

Rachel leans over to kiss Cara's cheek and she squeals making a cute little noise right after. Puck looks over at Rachel who's smiling ear to ear. Her hair's in a messy bun on top of her head and she more rested then she's been in weeks.

"Well as much as I'd love to stay and play, I got work." Santana says. She leans over gives a kiss on Puck's cheek, Caroline's and even Rachel's. "See you loser's later." she tells us. "Bye Cara." She coo's in her baby voice. She grabs her work bag and she's gone.

"She's one of a kind." Puck mutters. Rachel turns to him and lets out a breathy laugh. The way his heart literally catches in his chest should probably kill him, yet it somehow just makes him feel even better.

"Do you have work today?" Rachel asks, walking into the kitchen. He's transfixed by the way she moves, like she's gliding on air. She grabs a bottle from the microwave, she must have heated it up before, then returns to hand it to Cara. She takes it gratefully, immediately starting to drink it. He realizes he still hasn't answered the question and turns back to her.

"Right." he stumbles. "No, tomorrow I got a gig though." He scratches the back of his neck, though it isn't itchy. He feels awkward around her after having such a dream. All he can think about is kissing her just to see if she tastes the same. He wants to grab her legs, wrap them around him, and lead her to the bedroom. But he can't. Not yet at least.

"That's great Noah!" she says smiling. "But I was wondering if maybe…" she starts. He can see how she's having trouble finding the right words. "you'd like to go baby shopping? With me and Cara?" she bites her bottom lip with this adorable little smile. "I mean, I understand if it would ruin your manhood or something, shopping for diapers and clothes and what not, but I still don't know my way around Baltimore. And honestly some of the people scare me, like that man about three blocks down who's always talking to himself? He looks like he'd want to sell us drugs. Does he? Because I think that-"

Puck's hand covers her mouth and her doe eyes look up at him in a mix of surprise and embarrassment. "Rach, I'll go with you. Now shut up and go shower."

* * *

><p>Puck never thought he'd be standing in this place. He walks past it everyday on his ways to the Fabray-Evans household, but he never imagined himself in here any time soon. Well there was that one time, when Santana said she was pregnant. But like a week later she got her period. Crisis averted.<p>

He's glad to be here with Rachel, but all the women keep staring at him, mostly the old folk. He doesn't even know how many times he's said the phrase "I'm just a close friend." But he has noticed the look Rachel gets when he says that. The sadness in her eyes. But he thinks that's just his mind playing tricks. Because it's what's mirroring in his own.

"How about these?" she asks, holding up a pink one piece. He frowns. It's like the third pink one in the cart. Granted, the girls section is mostly pink, he guesses because some babies don't really show off their gender after birth. But Cara's got a girly face and shit. They could put her in an 'it's a boy' outfit and you'd still know she was a lady.

"Sure Rach, what kinda diapers you wanna get?" he asks. She frowns. "I'm not sure, does it make a difference? Like are some scented? Or made in third world countries?" she asks a little panicky.

"I'm pretty sure they're all made in third world countries." he answers back. Rachel's frown deepens and she rolls her eyes. It's quiet then as she racks through the clothes. Throwing some in the cart. Cara's fumbling with a toy in her grasp. Mostly just shoving it in her mouth and gnawing on it.

"I can't do this Noah." she mutters after a while. He cocks his head to the side, coming to stand closer to her. "I'm not fit to be a mother. I can't even pick out diapers for christ sake. And don't get me started on the formulas and vitamins. Why are there so many? I mean seriously can't they just have one brand and one company that makes all this-" she looks back a Caroline in the cart. "shit." she whispers as if she's said the dirtiest word out there.

He chuckles at her rant but completely agrees. "I know Rach, it's hard. But you got a lot of people who'll help ya. And you're a fantastic mother. I know it's hard but trust me, you'll get better." he assures. Actual tears well up in her eyes before she crushes her body against his. She buries her head in the crook of his neck and he squeezes her back with the same tightness. He's overwhelmed by her smell, strong vanilla and sugar, and how soft her hair feels against his neck. It makes him close his eyes, enjoying it, and resting his head on hers.

"Noah, you always know the right thing to say." she mutters against him.

"Yeah well you know exactly what to do." he counters. She pulls away and lets him wipe away the few tears that escaped her eyes.

She's thrown off by the simple act of kindness. He's changed so much since the arrogant badass in high school, to the mature adult. She loves that she knew both. Cara's squeal pulls them both out of their trances and they turn to see that her toy has landed on the ground. She has her arms swinging in front of her as if she might get it.

Puck laughs, stepping toward it and retrieving it for the girl. "Here you are silly goose." he mumbles. She smiles a toothless grin before shoving the toy back in her mouth. Puck chuckles and kisses her forehead. His phone starts blaring some extremely loud ganster rap and he apologizes to the scowling women.

"Yo Evans what do ya want?" he asks. Rachel starts pushing the cart and he follows. She can't hear, though she is trying to.

"Naw, I don't think so." he says. "Rach, you ain't busy tonight right? Any hot dates?" he asks. She blushes shaking her head. "No but I do have my daughter." she states.

"No shit, she's coming with us." he laughs. She quirks an eyebrow but he continues his conversation. "Yeah we're down, see ya later. Bye." he hangs up and Rachel looks at him expectantly.

"It was Sam. Evans. He invited us over for dinner." he explained. She smiles widely but then frowns. "Wait, is he still with Quinn?" she asks. He notices the way she swallows nervously.

"Yeah but trust me, she's fine. And she loves Cara already." he informs her. She stops pushing to look at him with surprised eyes. "I brought her over the other day, when you were asleep." he explains quickly.

"Oh." she mutters. She shakes the thoughts from her head and continues down the aisle, even though she's remembering her last encounter with the former head cherrio.

* * *

><p><em>"Oh please Rachel, you know that isn't true." she hisses, dragging her into the unoccupied bathroom. Everyone's downstairs celebrating their senior graduation. It's at Santana's actually. A going away party, for nearly everyone in their entire class.<em>

_"It is Quinn. He was flirting with her. In front of me. Obviously he doesn't have the mutual feeling." Rachel muttered. She leant against the counter, feeling odd in the jeans that Quinn had let her borrow for the occasion. They'd actually become close since the very end of the year. And when she says very she means in like the last two months. Ever since she got back with Sam, who became Puck's right hand man after everything with Finn. Granted Rachel was always with Puck, who was always with Sam, who was now always with Quinn. They sort of just fell in place with each other._

_"God you are so stupid sometimes!" she yelled. Her back was pressed against the door and her short blonde hair was shaking back and forth with her head._

_"What in earth are you talking about!" Rachel screeched._

_"He's in love with you!" she shouted back. The emotion immediately drained from Rachel's face and she automatically shook her head in protest. "He is Rach, god, don't you see the way he looks at you?" she said softer. "I wish Sam looked at me that way. Actually anyone." she chuckled._

_"He doesn't love me Quinn. He can't. I'm going to New York and he's-"_

_"Undecided." Quinn interrupted. "He'd follow. Anywhere Rach and you know it." Her eyes were sympathetic. She knew her now best friend was in love with Puck since before she and Finn ended. But they were both too scared to admit it._

_"That's the problem!" Rachel exclaimed. Quinn looked at her obviously confused. "He doesn't know what he's going to do, and he's going to follow me to New York? That makes no sense. Do you know he got accepted to UCLA? I made him apply! He got accepted to state too! And some school in Boston. He's going places. I'm headed to New York. For Broadway!" she sighed. "Can't you see it? It's the last thing he wants. He's not going to wait on the sidelines while I go to countless auditions and am practicing nonstop. I won't even have time for a relationship!"_

_"But he wants you." Quinn said. "I know there are multiple reasons you guys shouldn't be together, I get that. But there are so many reasons you should be. You guys are perfect."_

_"Don't say that. We aren't. I'm not." she muttered. She ran her hand over her forehead, massaging away her growing headache. "I can't do it. What if-" she started. "What if it doesn't work? Then what?" she whispered._

_"Then you can at least say you tried." she countered._

_"But I can't lose him. We're best friends."_

_"You said yourself you're going different places. He's not going to New York if there isn't a reason to go. No offence Rach, but you guys won't last a long distance friendship. We won't even last a long distance friendship." she sighed._

_"Wait- are you- you're not going to be my friend any longer?" Rachel asked stunned. She wasn't planning on losing her._

_"Well yeah, Sam and I are going to Baltimore. We'll be busy." she said shrugging one of her bare shoulders. She was wearing a simple yellow tank top. They'd actually been together when she bought it. Rachel wore it last week when her and Puck went to the movies._

_"But…" she frowned. Quinn's phone went off and she glanced at the text, worry crossing her face._

_"Shit." she muttered. "Sam's trying to ride Puck's motorcycle off the roof. I gotta go." she said. She quickly opened the door and sprinted from the bathroom._

_And then Rachel was alone. She waited for Quinn to come back for at least 20 minutes. She never came. She thought about going back downstairs to enjoy the party but she couldn't face Puck. Somewhere inside she knew that he loved her, she did, but couldn't admit it to herself. All she thought was he was an ex-bully, ex-boyfriend, current best friend and the man that she let take her virginity. It wasn't supposed to be this complicated. And frankly, she wasn't ready to lose everyone._

_That brought her back into reality, she'd be alone in New York. She planned on keeping in touch with Quinn, but apparently she didn't think that they could. She was probably right though, they'd all be so busy. Which is exactly why Puck can't come to New York with her. She can't let him waste his time during college. She know what he wants is to go, learn a few things, but mostly continue his legend as badass even there._

_She knew that no matter how much she wanted, it just wasn't meant to be._

* * *

><p>That was the last time she saw Quinn Fabray. Sam too. And most of the gleeks. Only Puck came with her to the airport to drive her car back to her dads.<p>

"Rachel, you ready?" Puck asks, walking in with Caroline locked in his grip. She nods taking another look in the mirror. Dark blue jeans, a long sleeve black shirt and her hair set simple. She wonders shy she wore all those skirts and matching socks in high school. This is just so much easier.

She throws on her black pea coat and matching hat. She knows they're walking and it's chilly in November. She finds it even colder then it was in New York.

"Yes. Is Caroline going to be warm enough?" she asks, walking up to Puck. She examines the over sized one piece coat, the scarf, mittens and hat that are all firmly secured.

"I think if we put her in any more clothes we won't be able to find her." he jokes. This draws out a smile from her, one he's been waiting for since they left the baby shop. She's had this frown and sad eyes set in place ever since he told her about dinner. He gets that she'd be upset since Quinn sort of flat left her, but so did he, and Sam. And everyone in Glee club. Maybe it's just because Quinn was Rachel's first actual girlfriend that she trusted. He knew that whole Mercedes crap was a joke; they never were the same after she pulled that stunt with the trouble tones.

It is pretty cold outside, but it's snowing lightly. And in Rachel's opinion that's the only time it should be less then 32 degrees outside. "It's Cara's first snow." Puck hears Rachel mutter, a smile toying at her lips.

He's got Caroline secured against his chest and Rachel's arm wrapped around his. He could get used to this. "I wonder what her first word will be." he says absentmindedly.

"If it's a curse word, Noah, I swear to God." she mutters. He laughs loudly causing the baby to stir in his arms. They get to the house and ring the bell, hearing Sam's voice telling them to come on up. They walk inside, Rachel shaking the snow flakes off her head. Puck's smiles at how something so simple can manage to be that adorable.

The ride the elevator up to the floor and get in front of the correct door. "You sure you're up for this?" Puck asks, switching Caroline between arms. She looks at the closed door and then into Puck's waiting eyes.

"No, but how bad can it be?" she answers. He chuckled and knocked on the door three times. Rachel sucked in a breath as she listens to the footsteps that come to unlock the door.

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><p><strong>Woooooooo so next chapter dinner with Ms. Fabray and Mr. Evans! and obviously more drama and more cuteness. So review and shit lol. Thanks for all the subs :) Bye<strong>

**P.S lemme know what other characters you guys want to pop up in the lovely place known as Baltimore.**


	4. Chapter 4

**HAPPY MOTHER FUCKIN NEW YEAR! hahaha anyway here's the next chapter, it was supposed to be out sooner but hey, i'm on my last couple of days in winter break :(... but besides that, here's the story! **

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><p>"Are they gonna be here soon? Cause you know Puck. He says ten minutes it means an hour. I don't think the food will last that long. Oh what if Rachel's still a vegan? You don't think she is? Shit. We should've thought about that." Quinn rambled, straightening up their already perfect home. Sam watched his girlfriend with amusement. She rarely got nervous, but when she did she went on these everlasting rants.<p>

"Baby, it'll be fine." Sam assured for the thousandth time. He pulled the small chicken out of the oven, setting it on the stove. He knew even though Rachel was a vegan in High School, her guilty pleasure was chicken. Something he learned through Puck.

"You always say that. And then guess what? Something disastrous happens. Last time you said 'it'll be fine' I had food poisoning. Remember that?" she inquired. Sam bellowed a laugh letting his blond hair shake out in front of his eyes. "We spent our anniversary in the hospital. That was fun." She quipped.

There were a few knocks at the door and both their heads whipped towards it. "Oh shit, here we go." Quinn murmured. He chuckled, walking over to give her a quick kiss.

She watched as her boyfriend walked over to the door and unsure of what to do with herself, she went to the kitchen. Even if she just wanted to hide in her room.

"Puck, Cutie Pie, Rachel." He greeted. Rachel laughed before giving her old friend a hug. "God, I missed you." She said.

"What no love?" Puck interjected. Sam rolled his eyes then reached to tap Caroline's nose. He smiled before inviting them in, telling them to throw their jackets where ever. Quinn stepped out of the kitchen, fidgeting with her hands.

"Hey guys." She said, forcing a light smile. She wasn't sure how to address them, well mostly just Rachel. Truth be told, she missed her friend. The only real girlfriend she had in Baltimore was Santana and a few ladies from work. But they could never form the same bond she seemed to have with Rachel.

Puck shared a look between the two girls. The silence that passed over the room was cut when Sam filled the space. "Uhm, well dinner's ready." He announced.

"Good cause I'm fuckin' starving." Puck said. Rachel shot daggers at him, and said "Noah!" just as Quinn said "Puck!"

He laughed carrying Caroline over to baby pen that Sam had gotten earlier at Puck's request. He set her in it, removing her ginormous coat, and handed her the stuffed giraffe she seemed fond of. He smiled when she immediately started swinging it around and playing with it having a smile in place.

"So Rach, you still eat chicken?" Sam asked, setting the food on the table. Quinn did the same as Rachel took her seat. Puck walked over, grabbed a beer for himself from the fridge and sat down next to her.

"Yes, Sam, I do. Thank you for remembering." She smiled. Puck smirked at Sam, taking a swig of his drink. He saw the tiny smile of relief that passed over Quinn's face.

"Sam, Shell, what do you guys want to drink?" she asked. Sam waved her off, getting himself a beer and she looked at Rachel expectantly. She was a little thrown off by how easily her nickname passed over her lips. Rachel smiled.

"Just water, please." She said. Quinn nodded, fetching the water and an iced tea for herself. She sat down handing the water to Rachel who nodded a thank you. Puck started gnawing on the inside of his mouth at the awkwardness, guzzling down another gulp of beer.

"Well dig in." Sam said. Rachel rolled her eyes and Puck chuckled. "Wait!" Sam yelled suddenly. Everyone froze. "We have to say grace." He said with seriousness. Puck raised an eyebrow but heard both Rachel and Quinn mutter under their breath, "Grace."

They looked up at each other and simultaneously burst into laughter. Puck thought maybe it was an old memory the two shared that brought them into such a state. Him and Sam looked at each other and smiled, knowing that maybe things could get back to normal.

* * *

><p>"She's precious." Quinn said, adoring Rachel's sleeping baby. The two girls were leaning over the crib where Cara was now sleeping peacefully. "It makes me miss her." Quinn admitted. Rachel squeezed her arm, understanding her pain. The boys were on the couch in the other room watching a football game. Sometimes yelling when their team lost the ball. Rachel didn't quite understand exactly why, but it seemed to make the boys happy.<p>

"She's eight now." Quinn said, barely above a whisper. "Shelby calls every once in a while to schedule plays dates. But I can't." she admitted. Rachel lent her head against Quinn's arm, glad to be back to their easy going friendship. They've missed each other. "Hey, you wanna come see our balcony?" she asked. Rachel nodded, following her towards the entrance. She swung the door open, and Rachel braced for the cold but was surprised when she felt warm air, and to see a roof over their heads.

"The people before us liked to go outside, but not really be outside, you know?" Quinn chuckled. She sat on the plush couch and Rachel sat in the chair across from her. "I didn't want the boys to hear." She said.

Rachel's head quirked to the side. "Hear what?" she asked.

"I have been going to see her. Beth." She told her quietly. "I know Puck goes too, but we've never been together. It's hard enough to do it by myself."

"Does Sam know?" Rachel asked. A guilty look passed over her face and she shook her head.

"No one does. I feel ashamed. Which doesn't make much sense, but it's true. I don't want anyone to know, please, Shell, don't tell Puck or Sam okay?" she asked. Rachel reached out and grabbed her friend's hands.

"I won't tell anyone I promise." Rachel assured. She knew by the expression on her face that's she's been sitting on this for a while. Rachel thought that now since Caroline was around it was bringing up some memories. She wondered how long this has been going on, but she didn't want to press too much. She had just gotten back her friend; she couldn't lose her so soon.

"Thanks." Quinn smiled. She bit her bottom lip and Rachel raised an eyebrow at her causing her to let out a shaky laugh. "Okay, I know I have no right, but I was wondering if you and Puck…" she trailed.

Rachel turned three shades of red and shook her head violently. "No! Oh gosh, why do people keep asking me that?"

Quinn chuckled leaning back in her chair. "Because it's bound to happen. I bet you two are sleeping in the same bed cause I highly doubt Santana's letting you near hers." She piped. Rachel's small smile confirmed the answer. "Good, you two need each other. You know Puck hasn't had a girlfriend since high school?" she informed.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Sure, and even if that were true, I bet he's slept with all of Baltimore and then some."

Quinn laughed shrugging her shoulders. "So, those don't matter. I bet he was picturing your fine ass and your pouty lips every time some chick gave him a blow-"

"Quinn!" she screeched. She laughed loudly at Rachel's embarrassment, unaware of the conversation Sam and Puck were having.

/:/

"Where'd the girls go?" Puck asked, still focused on the game.

"Balcony probably. They're probably sobbing and hugging and shit." He joked. Puck rolled his eyes and downed the rest of his beer. "So you and Berry get it in yet?" he asked.

Puck shook his head, glancing back to make sure the two women weren't in the room. "No not yet."

"In time my man, in time." He said. "Mother fucker." He groaned when Ravens lost yet another pass. "I don't even know why we support this team. All they do is piss me off."

Puck laughed, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, but hey what're we gonna do?" he smirked. Sam shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe you could just fucking tell her already." He chimed. Puck growled knowing they were no longer on the same subject.

"That was a long time ago Evans. People change." He said.

"Oh really? So that's why every time you look at her she smiles at you at dreamily or you guys are always touching and shit? I mean seriously, me and Q aren't even like that. You guys were basically make'n out the entire time during dinner." Sam recalled.

"Shut the fuck up. It doesn't matter." He grumbled.

"The hell it doesn't. You two just need to bang. Again." He suggested.

"Sam she's got a fucking baby. Or have you not noticed the little girl I've been carrying around for the past few days?" he mocked.

Sam sighed. "That's my point man. You two are basically together. Just fucking save us all this agony and do it already." He paused thinking about an event that occurred the other day. "And by the way, why'd Q get this weird look on her face when you said the baby's name was Caroline?" he asked.

Puck groaned in frustration. "Cause when we were dating, in sophomore year, I sung her Sweet Caroline to get her to go out with me. It's sort of our song, I guess."

Sam made an "awww" sound and Puck slapped him on the head. He retailed punching him in the shoulder, and just as Puck was about to hit him again he heard a soft laugh that he'd recognize anywhere, followed by another.

"Are you two done or do we have to put you into separate corners?" Quinn laughed. Sam smiled goofily at her and Puck shot her a glare. It softened when his gaze landed on Rachel, winking at her before turning to watch the game.

"We should be going soon." Rachel said, trying to cover the blush that spread to her cheeks when Puck winked at her. Quinn noticed smirking at the girl.

"Sure ya do." She whispered for only Rachel's ears.

She chuckled quietly but Puck got off the couch any way. "Kay, Berry. You want me to get Caroline ready?" he asked. She smiled at him and nodded. He went to go get her ready when Sam made a whip sound, even making the motion with his hand for effect. Quinn giggled loudly along with Rachel. And even though Puck was pissed at his friend, hearing Rachel's laughter seemed to make everything okay.

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><p>"I think I have the only baby in the world that actually sleeps." Rachel commented. She closed the door to the nursery quietly behind them. Puck nodded in agreement, following her quiet footsteps to the bedroom. He wondered maybe if it was technically now their bedroom. They were both sleeping in it together.<p>

After Rachel had brushed her teeth she sat down crossed legged on the bed, flipping absentmindedly through the channels. The light in the bathroom turned off and Puck came out and sat next to Rachel on the edge of the bed.

"You look happy." He told her. She glanced sideways at him and smiled. "I am. Thank you for today, really. It's great to have people again." She said.

He listened to her words, "to have people again". He lets his hand fall to hers, holding it there until she wraps her fingers around it.

"Rach I'm sorry." He said. "I should've come with you. To New York." He clarified.

She shook her head, turning her body on the bed so she was now facing him. "Don't be ridiculous, Noah. You couldn't. I understand that New York was never in your future."

"It was though." He admitted. "I was going to go. With you."

She frowns at him considering his choice of words. She doesn't want to have this conversation. She doesn't want to have a heart-to-heart over something that's in the past. People move on, she knows this. "I know. But it wouldn't have been fair. For you, I mean." She said.

He hasn't met her eyes, knowing that as soon as he does he's a goner. So he starts playing with her hands, noticing how tiny they are. He's never found a woman that was adorable, but something about Rachel just screams it. She's beautiful, adorable, sexy, funny, and talented. He can't wrap his head around so many things.

"It wasn't fair for the either of us. I missed you. I missed this." He chuckled. Because he isn't looking at her he can't see when she leans her head in towards his. He barely has time to register that she's kissing him. It's soft at first, but she leans her head in further, making it deepen.

His hand leaves hers to tangle in her brown hair as he memorizes every cavern of her mouth. She lets out a soft moan when his other hand grips onto her hip to pull her closer. She starts letting her hands wander to the muscles of his chest, which seem even more defined then she remembers. The door slams and both of them jump apart as if they were teenagers getting caught by their parents. They seem to have forgotten that they lived with another woman.

She stares at him, wondering what he's going to do. Half of her hopes that he'll just kiss her again so she knows they're on the same page. The other wants him to leave so she can be by herself to think about what she just did. She hears high heels clacking and another door closing, more quietly this time.

"You wanna go to sleep?" Puck asks, breathing a little heavily. She swallows and nods. He shuts off the tv, shimmying himself under the covers and to his pillow. Rachel does the same and just as she's about to lay her head down, Puck pulls her against him.

"What are you doing?" she asks, leaning up off of where he placed her on his chest.

"Going to sleep. Now shut up, princess." He smirks. He hears her sigh but her head rests against his chest anyway. "Goodnight Rach." He murmurs.

"Night Noah." She replies, letting a yawn escape her lips. She curls up against him, closing her eyes, enjoying the feel of being so close to someone.

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><p>When she wakes up she's alone. The sun is streaming through the window right into her eyes and she sits upright. She squints rubbing her eyes, then lets out a yawn as she stretches her body. A pan that falls in the kitchen catches her attention. "Shit." She hears. A giggle follows with a loud squeal.<p>

"Stop cursing or Berry's gonna have your ass mounted." Santana sneers. Rachel laughs quietly getting out of bed; she walks into the kitchen where Puck is bent over picking up the fallen pan.

"I know Satan, and FYI ass is a cuss." He hisses. The latina rolls her eyes, turning the page in her newspaper. She's sitting on the bar in the kitchen with her legs crossed. She's wearing pjs, cotton shorts and a long sleeve tee with her hair in a messy bun. For the first time since Rachel's gotten here, she doesn't look like she's going to rush out the door.

"Morning guys." She announces. Santana peers up from under her paper and nods. "Morning Berry. I hope you like pancakes." Puck says with his back still turned from her. She raises an eyebrow but continues over to her child.

"Hey baby." She whispers. Caroline's eyes seem to light up and she lets out a small noise as if she was addressing her. "Yeah, morning to you too." Rachel smiles. Puck sets down two plates on the kitchen bar next to Santana and she hops down, sitting on a stool.

"Only good thing about living with this neanderthal is that the man can cook like a dream." Santana sighed, gorging herself in breakfast.

"You forgot my good looks, charm, oh, and that I like long romantic walks on the beach." He smirked, getting a plate for himself. Rachel laughed, sitting next to Santana. She ate, attempting not to moan aloud when she bit into it. Yeah, it was that good. But she couldn't fight the feeling her stomach got every time Puck peered at her through his hooded gaze. It was like he just wanted to keep reminding her what she started back up last night.

And it was exactly what he was doing. He wanted her to know that he wasn't going to forget about the entire thing like most people would normally want to do. But he wanted to remember it, savor it. He wanted to get the next one out of her as soon as possible, and then some.

After breakfast is finished, Puck heads out, leaving her alone with Santana and Cara. "So Berry," she starts, setting the dirty dishes in the sink. Rachel's got Caroline in her arms, holding the bottle in place for her. "I just gotta ask something, you know, just between us ladies." She proceeds.

"Santana, if this about some idea that everyone has that I've slept with Noah, it hasn't happened." Rachel said.

She laughed, smirking. "No, honey, trust me, I'll know when that sh-stuff is happening." She smiles. Rachel arches an eyebrow. "But I gotta know. Who's the baby daddy?"

"Just a random guy I met, no one special, why?" she responds.

Santana nods. "Alright chicka, answer me this, what are you doing in Baltimore?"

Rachel sighs, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Santana follows her but stands up in front of her, waiting for her answer. An answer Rachel does not want to give.

"It's kind of a long story." Rachel tells her. Santana rolls her eyes, sitting down next to her.

"Well I got time."

Rachel frowns then looks down at her baby. She knows the truth will have to come out sooner or later, she's just not sure if she wants to hear it for herself. She doesn't want to feel Santana's pity, and what-not. She just wants to forget about it all, but hiding from her problems won't help the situation any better.

"Okay, well first I guess I should start with New York." Rachel begins. And really, that's where all of her problems truly began.

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><p><strong>WOOOOOOO THE BIG NYC MYSTERY IS NEXT! lol review and shit. - peace <strong>

**PS. got a comment asking if the flashbacks were all real, yes they are, they're all memories. And there will most definetly be one in the next chapter to explain some of the ny stuff. Also some major Santana drama!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay wow this is really late. Sorry it was super nice outside and great running weather for January so i haven't had a lot of time to write. But anyway here it is and it's mostly a flashback so enjoy :)**

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><p><strong>9 Days after Graduation<strong>

It's been an hour and thirty five minutes since she last saw Noah Puckerman. And already, she's going through with drawls. The time they spent together leading up to her departure hurt more then it should have. They both knew it'd be a long time since they would see each other again. Puck was headed to LA, literally the other side of the country.

But the day before she left, he said something to her that really shook her to her core. "Rach, you got into LA too ya know. Broadway and Hollywood are basically the same shit." He had said. They were sitting on her bed staring at all the boxes and bags on the floor. His eyes had been locked on the ground, even though she'd rather him look right at her. She had listened to his words, considered them even, but she just brushed it off.

"It's my dream Noah." She had told him. He nodded and then continued on as if the conversation never happened.

The taxi she's in pulls up to her apartment. The one she bought with her own money; had filled with her own things. She was proud to say that she did this on her own without her father's help. She got out of the taxi, got her things from the back, and paid the cab driver. When he pulled away she turned to face her new building. Three blocks away from NYADA. The school she'd be attending without her supposedly best friend Kurt Hummel. Him and Blaine had gotten into some overseas program. Kurt had ditched the idea of New York as soon as he found out.

She can hear a baby crying when she walks up the stairs, the outdated elevator having a sign telling her it was out of order. So she hulled her stuff up the three flights of stairs and finally makes it outside her door. Room 28 is scrawled on it. She lets out a huff before used her key, having to wiggle it a little before swinging open the door.

She walks in, looking at the few pieces of furniture she was able to afford. She sets down her bags in the kitchen. Small, but workable. A glance at the living room shows her that her couch is in the correct spot but her eye catches something unexpected. A brand new flat screen with a big red ribbon. She smiles, thinking of how she'll have to call her dads to thank them.

Her bedroom is on the right, she sighs in relief at the sight. The movers had even made her bed, purple sheets, dark blue comforter. It hadn't even been a day and she already missed home. She sits down on the edge of her bed, thinking about the conversation with Noah. He was probably cleaning Miss. Jenson's pool by now. She hated the idea when he first started that back up again, all those older women ogling him, but she had bit her tongue. She wasn't allowed to be jealous of her best friend getting hit on. But still he'd had just told her that he needed the extra cash for when he was in LA.

She laid back, staring at the ceiling. She noticed the stars, the ones like she had in her own room in Lima. The ones that glow in the dark. She wonders if her dads put them there as a way to make this place feel more like her own. But the worn out state of them tells her that they were here before her, maybe have been for a while.

She lets her eyes drift shut, thinking of about all the things she needs to do, but mostly right now, she can only think about one person that she desperately needs to get out of her head.

**Freshman year**

She adjusted well to the busy lifestyle of the bustling city, but still finds herself breaking down every once in a while. Even though she got a small job at the local café, and has made a few friends, she still misses her old ones. She's tried calling Quinn, but every time she had to go because she was busy or just didn't pick up. Even Noah's hard to reach these days. Granted they can't call each other a lot because of long distance phone call prices, but they manage.

Her first day of school was hectic. She couldn't find her way there, was scolded for being late, and then felt like the least talented person out of her classmates. All of the people, even Steve who never showered, were better in her mind. They had more practiced, better ranges, and most of them were skilled dancers as well. All of the people who applied had been planning on this school since they could walk. Since their parents first put them in dance classes. Since they opened their mouths to sing.

Rachel knew New York was her dream. To make it to Broadway. For a tiny girl to say to her parents that she wanted to be like Rachel when she was older. Her peers, at this school, wanted the same thing, for all the wrong reasons. The money, the fame. They didn't want to do it for the craft, they did it because they were more confident then her about their talents.

All of them reminded her of Jesse St. James, and sometimes her when she was younger and more arrogant. But she grew up, they didn't.

Through her crazy day though, the one thing she looks forward to is calling Noah and asking him how his first day went. She hopes it was better then hers. As she sets her keys on her counter she scrolls to his number and dials, waiting patiently for him to pick up.

"Hello?" a girl giggles. Rachel is about to say she must have dialed the wrong number when she hears his voice in the background. "Baby who is that?" he says. She snaps the phone shut, staring at it with wide eyes. She isn't sure why there are tears forming in her eyes, or why her throat feels like its closing. But one thing is for sure, that was the last time she ever called him.

**Junior Year**

The countless auditions she's gone to are starting to wear on her. Every rejection hurts her more and more, and makes her want to call it quits. But she doesn't, she keeps going on.

It takes her another month to finally land something. A small role in a production of Beauty and the Beast. Though she auditioned for Belle, they told her that they had already found their lead, but would like to work with her anyway. Rachel jumped on the offer right away, glad that somebody would finally give her a chance. That she could finally start trying to pursue her dream.

Those two months seem endless. Between school work and her job and now a new play, she barely has any time to sit down and relax. But she's used to strenuous things, so she accepts this as her new lifestyle. Her new everything. She accepts it until the two months are over and she finds herself craving for more.

The next job she gets is s supporting role in a musical-comedy. Because it's a supporting role, she's even busier then she was the first time. This job lasts four months. She somehow manages to pass all her classes that semester and still maintain her job at the café.

At the last showing, a man approaches her and praises her for how well she did. He gave her his card and made her write down her number for him. That's what landed her the leading role in West Side Story.

She was literally living the dream, her dream. She had to quit her full-time job, but convinced the boss to let her work part time as long as she got him tickets to one of her shows. She had even sent out invites for opening night to all of her old friends, or at least the ones she could reach. The only people she knew that were coming were her fathers.

After her debut went smoothly and perfectly to everyone's expectations, she got to catch up with some people. Though she was grateful for their presence, she thought he would show up. Just this once. For her. She hadn't called him, but when she called Quinn, Sam answering, he said he'd get the message to him. It was like he knew that she couldn't bear to call Noah at the risk of hearing another woman's voice. Again.

The only people who came were Tina, Mike, surprisingly their newborn baby, Mercedes, Brittany, Finn and his current girlfriend. Sam called three days earlier because they had a playoff game in Tennessee. Mr. Shue said Emma was about to go in labor any day so he couldn't leave. But Noah. He just never showed.

That was the first time since she stopped calling him that she let herself miss him. She found herself talking to Finn at dinner, asking if he heard anything about his former friend. They hadn't kept in touch. But Brittany had, she visited Santana every once in a while and would sometimes hang out with him too.

"He's good, I guess." She told Rachel quietly. "He gets grumpier easier though. Santana always tells me he's just PMSing but he's Puck." She said. "I've slept with him, so I totally know that isn't true."

Rachel pursed her lips and just continued to listen. "He's failing a couple classes. It's all he complains about when I'm there. But he's doing good with the music stuff. He plays at this bar down the street from where his dorm is." She informed her.

"Oh well that's good. Uhm, Britt, I was just curious if he had a girlfriend?" Rachel asked. She had her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Nope." She said popping the 'p'. "But his penis is totally gonna fall off. All the sex he's having can't be good for his man goods."

Rachel frowned and Brittany put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Rachie, he still misses you." Brittany said.

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "How would you know?"

Brittany shrugged her shoulders innocently. "Because he still has that picture of you and him in his wallet. The one of you on his back after we won Nationals Senior year. I found it when I was looking for some money."

She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. She remembered that moment well. Quinn had taken the picture, because she was taking pictures of everything and everyone. They could've made about three documentaries of the New Direction's Senior National victory in Miami. That was one of the happiest moments of her entire life. Beating Vocal Adrenaline.

When West Side Story eventually ends, Rachel finds herself with that feeling again. That craving. The want and desire. She actually thought that nailing the lead in such a big production would help her get into other shows easier. She couldn't have been more wrong.

While she was busy being Maria, other girl's her age were busy being leads as well. In Wicked, a new production of The Sound of Music, and even that new Spiderman Musical. It meant she wasn't the only new name out there. There were other people who were doing just as well as her and some of them were even younger then she was.

The first time she realized what some girls were doing to get into these lead roles was near her graduation of Junior Year. How some more, promiscuous girls as Rachel called them, were getting roles that she knew she was better at. But it didn't mean a thing. The show business was cut throat. And if that meant sleeping with the director to land a part, most girl did it.

She didn't get a role in three months. Three months of auditions. Three months of rejection. But then she thought about those other girls. The ones getting the roles and how easy it was for Rachel to obtain them if she did what they did.

**Senior Year**

She hated herself for weeks the first time she did it. The last time she had sex was with Noah. In High School. She'd been so busy with School, and Work and Broadway that there wasn't any time for any sort of a relationship. Not even sexual. But she found herself with the Producer, of a play she really wanted to get into, deserved to get into. But all those other beautiful girls in the auditioning room worried her. Worried her enough to go to drastic measures to get in.

She landed the role. She went through the show, and when that finished, she found herself in the same situation. So she did it again. It wasn't as bad as the first time, she knew what to expect. She got the part again. This time she didn't even feel bad about what she did. She was completely fine with it.

It wasn't until the third time that it really got to her. She didn't get it. The part. She had no idea what that meant. She was so used getting the part because of the shameful things that she did, but it made no sense. Did another female do the same as her? Did the director just use her? She had no idea. But it made her sick.

She graduated that year. Not anything big, but she was free of school. It was like a huge weight was lifted off her shoulder. But she needed to get out of here. New York. Just walking around the streets made her feel sick. Every time she went to another audition, not sleeping with anyone, and not getting it, made her question her dream as a whole. Thinking it was all just a lie, the show biz.

So she left. Packed her things and headed out. She found herself in New Jersey for a while, then in Boston. Then somehow got to Philadelphia and before she knew it she was in Baltimore. It was an unconscious decision but she felt like she was being drawn there somehow.

* * *

><p>"And that's it. I ended up hear, pregnant and lost with myself." She finished. Santana remained as quiet as she had through Rachel's entire story. Listening, nodding along, without ever letting any emotion pass over her face. She was a really good listener.<p>

"Did you really sleep with those guys Rach?" Santana ask, there was a sort of sadness in her eyes. She looked like she was going to cry for some reason. Rachel gave her a slight nod and Santana breathed out. "You- You saw Brittany?" she choked around the name.

Rachel perched her head to the side. Caroline had fallen asleep in her arms during the story and was snoring lightly. "Yes Santana I did. Can ask, what happened? Between you two I mean. When I last saw her she made it clear that you two were still going strong together."

Santana's face twisted between something like pure rage and utter sadness. She bolted off the couch and sprinted out the door before Rachel even had time to say a word. When Santana ran out the door she nearly plowed over Puck, but kept going, tears streaming down her face. He had frowned at her, but he continued up the stairs because he thought Rachel would know what brought on Santana's emotion.

"Oh Noah, thank god. What's wrong with San? Did you see her?" she rushed as soon as he got in the door. He stripped off his jacket and raised an eyebrow at her.

"No did you say something to her?" he asked. She thought, rocking her baby back and forth.

"I asked her why her and Brittany broke up." She recalled. Puck's face instantly transformed into a sad expression.

"Oh. Rach. No one told you?" he asked. His eyes were hollow and one of his hands placed on her shoulders, giving it a light squeeze.

"Told me what?" she asked.

He looked down then back at her, swallowing a lump that formed in his throat. "Brittany's dead." he told her grimly. Rachel's mouth fell open and for once in her life, found herself utterly speechless.

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><p><strong>AAAHHHH cliff hanger zomg ikr. lol sorry. anyhoo the next one will be up whenever. Some obvious Pezberry friendship with some Pucktana friendship. Bye now and have a good day!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

I know you guys were probably expecting a next chapter, but I haven't been able to write anything at all for the past couple of weeks. My best friend is going through something extremely hard right now so please just bear with me on this. I really hope you can keep with the story even though it might take a while for it to come back for a new chapter.

Lots of Love :)


	7. Chapter 7

**HAZAH! I NEW FUCKIN CHAPTER! haha so I've finally been able to write and shit. So here it is, finally. And thanks a bunch if you're still with the story :)**

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><p>"Dead?" she stuttered, wide eyed. Puck nodded. "What- when? No one told me!" she practically yelled. This made Caroline wake up in her arms, wailing almost immediately. She sighed, bouncing her up and down trying to calm her. She could barely pay attention though. Dead. Brittany Pierce of all people. Impossible.<p>

"Rach, let me take her." Puck said, noticing the stress lines forming over Rachel's face. She shook her head, stepping backwards away from him. She looked so upset that it was starting to tear him apart. She turned, walking into the nursery to try and persuade her daughter to get back to sleep.

Puck didn't know how long this would take so he fished a beer from the fridge and sat on the couch, flipping to sports center. He checked his watch. He had a couple hours until his gig, a few hours to explain every thing to Rachel. And he honestly thought there was nothing to explain. He wondered why she didn't know, why no one bothered to tell her.

Part of him felt like maybe he should have said something. Especailly now that he knows she's been in the dark for the past five years.

He sees her sit down quietly at the other end of the couch, a frown etched in her perfect features. He shuts off the tv and sets his untouched beer on the coffee table.

"Noah, when did she-" she said barely above a whisper.

"About four months ago." He answered back. He studied her face, watching it slowly fall apart.

"How?"

"She was mugged. On her way back to Tanna's place in LA. The guy shot her." He explained stiffly. Even the life sentence the asshole got wasn't enough for what he did. In Puck's opinion it would've been better if he died. Putting a man to rot in jail couldn't heal the pain and suffering that Santana went through. Through what anyone felt with her absence.

"Oh that's just awful." She muttered, burying her face in her hand. Her body started to shake with her silent tears. He moved across the couch, hesitantly wrapping an arm around her. She kept crying but let him hug her, sort of putting her in a cocoon against his chest.

She cared for Brittany, she really did. She was the most sweetest, innocent, honest person Rachel knew. She wonders if that's why Santana lives with Puck. If that's why he seems so happy by Santana's smiles and laughs all the time. She doesn't know why Brittany had to die, why they had to lose such a wonderful human being. But eventually, her tears run out, her breath evens.

"Are you alright?" he asks, rubbing small circles on her back. She nods against hir chest and sits up to meet his eyes. Their concerned, flying all over, waiting for her to break down again.

Her excuse is that her emotions are running high, but she kisses him anyway. Gentle, soft, yet so full of power and meaning. She can hear her heart in her ears and feel her stomach doing these little flip flops. Her hands come to rest around his jaw to draw him closer, wanting more of him. As much as he wants it, he shoves her lightly away.

"This is wrong." he mutters against her. She leans her forehead against his, shutting her eyes. He wants to ask her what she's thinking so hard about. Why she even bothered to kiss him like that.

"I want it to go back. To the way it was before." she says, starting to tear up again. "I miss us. I miss everything being so god damn easy." She swallows, slowly removing herself from his grip. Before leaving him alone, she gives him another kiss. This one just a soft but lingering peck. She leaves him alone again, hearing the door to his bedroom close quietly. A few moments later he hears the bath running.

He lets out a long sigh. This girl can be so confusing sometimes, yet other times, like right now, she's predictable as ever. The bathroom; the place she goes when she's sad.

**End of April - Senior Year **

_It wasn't unusual that the front door was unlocked. Even though he and Berry were crack addicts for CSI, she didn't seem to think those types of people lived in Lima, Ohio. One time he even tried to scare the shit out of her when she was home alone. Sneaking in through her front door and grabbing her in the kitchen when her back was turned._

_The knife she had in her hand went unnoticed to Puck and landed a trip to the emergency room and five stitches in the thigh. So yeah, he stopped trying to scare the little ninja._

_So he got a little worried when he called out her name and no one answered. Because the thing about the door was, it was locked when she was gone. He called out again, nothing. You can't blame him for panicking, running up the stairs to her room, almost having a heart attack when it was empty._

_And when he heard a noise come from the bathroom, he didn't think twice before prying it open._

_"Rach?" he said as he swung it open. He heard her low squeal before he actually saw her. Laying in her Jacuzzi bath tub with a cloud of bubbles all around her._

_"Ugh! Noah, get out!" she yelled at him, wide eyed. It would've been cute if her eyes weren't all red and puffy. She'd been crying pretty hard. He would've left her if she didn't look so broken._

_Instead he shrunk to his knees at the edge of the tub, resting his arms on its surface. "Why were you crying?" he asked calmly. He could see the wheels spinning in her head, probably wondering wether she should say something about how this is completely inappropriate or tell him to just leave and she needed to be alone._

_She did neither. "My letter. I got my NYADA letter today." she said, biting her bottom lip. His heart sank, thinking she didn't get in. He knew how much that one school meant to her._

_"Aw. Rach I'm really sorry-"_

_"No. Noah, I got in." she smiled. He smiled awkwardly back at her, wondering why on earth he'd be crying over getting what she wanted. And he knew they weren't happy tears, he's seem her happy tears lots a times._

_"So you just crying for recreational purposes?" he questioned. Just like that the face was back. The grounded, protected, someone just kicked my puppy look. She sat up in the tub, crossing her arms over her bare chest, though he couldn't see._

_She sighed through her nose. "I was crying because in almost four months I'll be gone. This" she said pointing to him and her. "will all be gone. Our friendship and my life. New York isn't the same as here. I know what to expect here, New York-" she groaned. "God, what if they don't like me? Who am I going to come crying to when I don't land a part? Who am I going to tell No'? I don't make friends easily." halfway through her voice had broken into a low cry._

_He wishes that she wasn't in the tub all wet and naked so he could hug her. He's pretty sure if she hugged her now, she'd get a little more than pissed off. And a crying and pissed Rachel Berry is something he hopes no one will ever have to experience._

_He decided reaching in and grabbing her hand wouldn't be so wrong, so he did just that. He brought it up with his other so he now cradled it before pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles. Her cries nearly stopped and she chuckled through them._

_"Now listen here you crazy midget. If New York doesn't like you, well fuck them, their loss. Then you can transfer to LA and you can go into the movie business or join up in my band that I'm gonna form." he smiled cheekily. She bellowed out a laugh and he let one of his hands leave hers so he could stroke her damp hair._

_"Can I name the band?" she asked softly staring into his eyes. He blew out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, glad to have her back._

_"Fuck no. My band, my name. It ain't gonna be no Josie and the Pussycats shit." he told her. She rolled her eyes at him._

_"Alright. Fine, but you need to get out so I can get dry." she said. She waited for the innuendo that never came. Truth was he was still worried she would break down again._

_"Sure thing baby. I'll be waiting downstairs, kay?" he said. She smiled widely at him, the ones that made his heart ache and pound inside his head. The ones that made him wish that they were actually together. He gets up, but she stops him, grabbing his hand._

_"I'm really gonna miss you." She admitted with a slight blush. He rolled his eyes, stroking her fingers gently._

_"You know, I'm not really gonna miss you." He says. She glares, her mouth falling open in an 'O'. He chuckles at her. "I'm not gonna miss you because we'll end up back together like this. Somehow, someway. Trust me Rach, we'll get there." He promises. That smile's back and he knows it's all worth it. Worth going to La so he doesn't tie down her own dreams. _

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><p>Quinn Fabray ripped open the door angrily after the consistent ringing of the bell. She had finally gotten some alcohol into Santana that numbed her pain so she could fall asleep in her guest room. She was ready to slap the person but saw who it was, all the anger fading from her face.<p>

"Mike!" she squealed. She hadn't seen him since graduation, not unlike many of her old high school friends. Without thinking she flung herself at him and pulled him into a bone crushing hug.

He chuckled into her blonde hair, setting down his bag to hug her properly. "You think you've missed me or something." he joked. She rolled her eyes pulling away, smiling brightly at him.

"Oh where are my manners? Come in, come in! Sam isn't home, he's at work. And not to be rude or anything, but why are you in my house?" she laughed once they were both inside. Mike took in the surroundings of their apartment, noting that it was the perfect mix of the couple, before answering her prying eyes.

"I'm here for work. Got a job down at the Raven's stadium, you know, sports writing? Well yeah, they called me, I called Sam cause I knew you guys were out here, and he said I could crash here. Is that cool?" he smiled. Quinn nodded wondering why Tina was nowhere in sight. She remembers Sam showing her pictures of their baby. She's about to ask when remembers the drunken latina in the room that Mike was supposed to be staying in.

She frowned, biting her bottom lip between her teeth. "Actually, you may be using the couch. We sort of already have another guest for the time being." She said. Just as Mike let out an "Oh", the door to the guest room opened, revealing Santana. Blood shot eyes, wild hair and all.

"Hey Mikey. The pillows a little wet, but it's better then that fucking couch." She yawned. The effects of the alcohol had almost worn off her as she walked over to her friend. Even though Mike saw the state that she was in, he bit his tongue, knowing that if she wanted to tell him she would. You don't ask Santana anything, she tells you.

Mike uses his long legs to close the distance between the two and lift her off the ground to hug her, earning a scoff and a slap on the head. "I see your still a bitch." he laughed, setting her down.

"I see your still an ass." She fired back. Quinn looked at the two slightly amused, and awed. Santana had never recovered so quickly from an "episode" as she called them. "Well I guess I should be going. I don't want Rachel to think I ditched her or something." she told Quinn. Mike perked up at the Rachel's name, confused.

"Rachel's in Baltimore?" he asked.

Quinn nodded and Santana said. "Yep, at the Puckerman household, with a baby." She stated. She turned to Quinn. "See you tonight." She said. She waved to Mike before strutting out the door and shutting it.

Mike turned to Quinn dumbfounded. "What the fuck did I miss?" he asked. Quinn just laughed, knowing he'd never believe her if she told him.

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><p>Rachel groaned after the third knock on the bathroom door. He knew why she was in here, he knew why she wanted to be alone. But no, Noah doesn't do alone. Or listening to what you want either. He'll just shove it down your face until you accept the problem. Most of the time it's for the better.<p>

But right now, well right now she's ready to jump out the window just to escape him. Seriously, the boy can drive her insane sometimes.

"Rachel, we gotta go. I know you ain't crying, the bath's been off and I heard your loud ass hair dryer." he said through the door. She rolled her eyes at that one, applying another coat of lip gloss. She stared at her newly manicured face. She looked better then she had in weeks.

Maybe since college, but she doesn't want to go there.

"I'll break down the door." he threatened.

She scoffed back it him. "I'm pretty sure you wouldn't considering it's your house." she retorted. Puck smiled on the other side, glad to hear her voice again.

"You got ten minutes. The babysitter's already here, and if I'm late I'll-" he warned. The door swung open and he breathed out a sigh of relief, almost sucking it in right after he saw her.

Her slight smile was covered in a light shade of red, making them look absolutely edible. He removed his gaze from them to see her hair fanned perfectly along her face and her smile. God he was glad to see that smile.

But that dress. Dark blue, fitted against her body just right, cutting off right below the knee. Her skin was practically shinning against the color.

"Are you going to stare at me or are we going to go?" she joked lightly. He swallowed, considering her offer as if it were real. Kissing her, showing her exactly what he wanted and hoped she wanted too. But they've been through so much today. Too much.

He smirked, chuckling. "Don't tempt me." he warned with a wink. He loved the blush that rose from her chest to her cheeks. She slapped his chest, walking past him, definitely swaying her hips more than usual.

Rachel introduced herself to the babysitter, an older woman from down the hall who Noah had trusted only because she reminded him of his Nana. Jewish and all. He's even done a few simple errands for her in the past, so yes, he trusted her to watch Rachel's child. A child who he cared for like his own.

He could tell Rachel was hesitant at first, but the old woman was convincing and a true sweetheart.

"Oh don't worry, your daughter, _bari veShalem_." She said with a smile. Rachel's smile widened, recognizing the simple phrase from Temple. Safe and sound. It's just what she needed to hear.

"Thank you, really." Rachel said. The old woman swatted her off, immediately going to work by setting a bottle in the microwave. Rachel turned her smile to Puck, fading as soon as she saw her standing in the doorway.

"Santana." she said in a whisper. The latina walked over and before Rachel could open her mouth again, she threw herself into a tight hug, stunning all three.

Pulling away, Santana straightened her little black dress, before speaking. "Don't say you're sorry. You have nothing to apologize for. I'm sorry. I am, and I don't say that shit often so don't expect it all the time." She smirked. "Now can we please go and enjoy this lovely hunk perform some seductive music?"

Both Puck and Rachel's laughs mended together. Rachel quickly said goodbye to Caroline, needing to be dragged away by Santana right after she pulled away Puck, and then they were out the door. Puck's arm around his two favorite ladies, hoping that all the drama might finally pass.

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><p><strong>...So? Love it? Hate it? Review this bitch and share some ideas or predictions. My other stories will hopefully be up soon and i actually started a new one based on that whole Quinn might die in a car wreck thing. (Which had me balling for like ten mins.) <strong>

**Anyway, lots of love and thanks for reading ;)**

**ps. hit me up on twitter JenPerry18**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hollllaaaa atcha mothaaa cause another chapters here bitches! I've been writing like crazy lately so keep posted cause this story and my others should be up soon (for those of you reading my hunger games story, it's almost done i promise!) **

**But besides that, here it is!**

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><p>The Purple Lady is absolutely bouncing and swimming with people. Rachel couldn't have guessed from the first time that she was here that it was such a hot spot. Maybe it was because of the main act tonight, who Puck said was very popular. Even though this was true, she could see a lot of people, well women, who were obviously there for Puck.<p>

She was about to go into a jealous rage when Quinn placed a light hand on her shoulder half way through the night.

"Honey, fumes are spurting from your ears. He doesn't want any of them." She assured in her sweet, angelic voice. Rachel swallowed down the venom she felt when yet another bodacious woman appeared out of now where, placing her arm around Puck's bicep.

She watched in disgust as this _harlot _giggled and flirted with all the things he was saying. She took another angry sip at her fruity drink.

Quinn chuckled beside her, resting her hand on Sam's thigh neatly. She loved her friends, but they just needed to get over everything in the past and just get together. If Rachel wasn't so busy being pissed off at Puck, she would've seen the longing glances and pure desire coursing through him. It was better then any lifetime movie she ever watched.

And even better then the Puckleberry show was this strange one going on between Santana and Mike. She couldn't figure out if it was a drama, romantic comedy, or maybe a musical. There was a lot of dancing going on between them, but not just in the physical way. Their eyes had been dancing across each of their bodies, trying to figure out how to react. Last time Quinn checked, Santana was gay and Mike was a father. Maybe their movie was a tragedy. Quinn sighed.

"What're you thinking so hard about, Pixie?" Sam asked softly to her. She chuckled at the silly pet name, shaking out her blonde hair.

"I've just been watching them." She laughed. She glanced sideways at Rachel who still had her glare set on the woman clinging to Puck's arm.

"I know. They'll get together though, I feel it." He assured.

Quinn smiled at him. "Not just them." She said. She moved her eyes over to where Mike and Santana were practically dry humping on the dance floor. "Them too." She told him.

Sam snorted and nodded. He'd noticed those two almost right away. When he had finally made it to the club, he greeted Mike the usual way, with a punch in the shoulder. He hadn't expected Santana to be there, icy glare and all, telling him not to punch her man candy on the arm.

He thought she was joking, well he guesses she was really, but there was no snarky laugh that usually came after, and Mike hadn't even said anything or looked weirded out.

"They're friends." He simply answered. Quinn shrugged a shoulder, watching Puck join the three at the bar, slumping into a stool next to Rachel.

"What, she didn't ask to sleep with you?" Rachel bit out, eyebrows raised. Puck's mouth fell open as the blondes surpressed laughter. Normal Rachel was bold, alcohol made her even bolder. Drunk Rachel made her horny, though, he didn't want to go there yet.

"No, she did actually, but about halfway through her trying to shove her tongue down my dick I realized I was gonna hang out with my friends." He retorted with anger. "You okay with that sweet cheeks?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, turning her body to face the bar, and away from his piercing gaze. She thought tonight was going to be fun, and it was, seeing Noah singing was lovely and transcending as always. The women though, god those women, she hasn't seen that many shameless girls in one place since Broadway. And at least those girls had some talent.

Quinn almost winced at Noah's hardened and pained stare, feeling for him. "Dance with me." she said to Sam. He frowned at first, confused, but her glance back at the un-coupled couple explained it all. He let her lead her to the dance floor, swaying in tune with the notes the guitarist was playing.

"Rachel." He drawled out. She didn't move. "Rach." He tried, using the voice he had used back in high school when he wanted her for something or to apologize. Frustated with the shiver that voice had sent down her spine, she got up walking away. She didn't want or need to listen to him apologize for something he shouldn't have to apologize for.

He was single. So was she. She shouldn't feel posseisive or pissed off every time a woman comes within a five foot radius. She wasn't really allowed to feel these things.

He followed her of course, all the way into the bathroom, the girls room. Though, it hasn't really stopped him before in the past.

"God, Noah, do you ever learn?" she whined when she heard his familiar footsteps. She could probably pick them out of the busy streets of New York.

She leaned over the sink, not daring to look back into his sad puppy eyes. She'd be a goner as soon as she did. She fixed her lightly smudged lipstick, listening to his huff and hearing him slump against the wall.

"I'm sorry okay?" he finally said. She scoffed though she heard actual sincerity. "Rachel, for fucks sake, what do you want me to do?"

She leaned her arms on the sink, shutting her eyes. She wanted him to kiss her. To love her. To be the father of her child. To never have left. To be there for the rest of her life. To be her best friend. Her lover. She wanted all of him.

She finally turned around, leaning against the sink and eventually letting her eyes meet his. His seemingly relaxed position was full of stress and worry. She could tell he was biting the inside of his cheek, something she noticed he did when he either wanted to take back a snide comment he said or was nervous.

"I want you to want me back." She finally said. The words left her mouth almost as soon as he was closing the distance between them and slanting his mouth all hard and possessive across hers.

_God she tasted so fucking good_. Better then he remembered. His hands cupped her face, drawing her closer while she balled up the fabric of his shirt with her tiny hands. He almost lost his shit when she moaned into his mouth, pulling him closer against her.

"Fuck." He groaned. He couldn't control it when she bit his lip at the same time her center rubbed against his erection.

"Noah." She sighed, threading her fingers into the shortness of his hair. She found herself wishing for the ol' hawk' so she had something to grab onto. She squealed in surprise when his hands cupped her ass and lifted her onto the edge of the sink.

He didn't waste any time, plunging his tongue into her mouth and tracing to caverns that even after so long ago he seemed to remember. Maybe it was a feeling or emotion. And he was sure having a lot of those right now.

She was tugging at his shirt, trying to remove the buttons, moaning quite loudly when he sucked hard on her pulse point. Leaning one arm against the mirror and having the other wrapped around her waist, he held onto her to make sure she didn't fall. Also to make sure he didn't fall, he was getting pretty lightheaded.

He rubbed her hip, then down her bare thigh, finishing the satisfying mark he left on her skin. Her fingers gripped his crotch through his pants, loving the way he moaned out her name. Her fingers skimmed up teasingly until she reached his belt buckle and undoing it with ease.

"You sure you wanna do this in a bathroom?" he asked, grazing his teeth along her collarbone. He felt her head nod and let out an assuring sigh as he slung down the straps on her dress. He smirked at the sight of her bare chest, _too fucking long_, he thought.

"The door Noah." She panted. He understood, hoisting her around his waist and carrying her against the door. There wasn't time to block it with anything other then their bodies. So he pressed her against it, holding her up with his one hand under her butt. The other was busy tangling in her long hair. Her back arched up when his lips closed around one of her nipples, earning a moan of approval.

She reached behind him and into his back pocket to retrieve the condom she knew was there. She needed him now, not being able to wait through all this foreplay. She's waited too long to have him again like this.

She ripped the condom open with her teeth, hissing with his lips left her hardened peaks. He'd went to investigate the ripping sound, smiling at her when he saw what she had done.

"You're perfect." He muttered, showering her lips with kisses. Still around his waist, he felt her push down his pants and thought that it was great day to go commando. She slipped the condom on his length, stroking him twice, making him buckle his head into the crook of her shoulder. This woman was going to kill him.

He set her down, only to let her remove her panties, wanting to have as much skin not against the unsanitary door. He picked her back up, almost gently as if she were glass, then kisses her with just as much force.

He slid into her, feeling a sense of familiarity of her body, like it had been yesterday since the last time they did it. She cried out, and he shushed her with his mouth, vaguely recalling they were in a public place. Everything outside of them seemed so far away.

She wrapped her hands around his shoulders, meeting his thrusts and feeling his hands on her ass. His lips were hot and wet against hers, trailing to her neck. She kissed what she could reach, his ear, making him thrust harder when he heard her breathy pants against him.

Her hands gripped hard on his shoulders before she ground out his name in ecstasy, him following mere seconds after. Her back slid against the door and down with him as they both came. He landed on his butt, with his knees bent, the new angle making her come again. Moaning his name again, and twisting her body against him as she rode out another powerful orgasm.

Her body felt like goo but she let him pick her up and settle her on her feet. He got rid of the condom and shoved up his pants, redoing his buckle easily. Rachel had just gotten the straps back in place.

"Zip me up?" she asked. He nodded, watching her turn around to show him the opened zipper. He slowly did it up, placing a gentle kiss on her back, relishing the way she sighed happily. He kissed her shoulder, then she spun around to kiss his lips.

She broke away, smiling big at him. Her hair was all messed up, sex hair, and she looked so freaking sexy he was worried to leave with her for fear of other guys noticing.

"We're together now." he declared. The thought of any other guy near her made his gut sick. Her expression didn't change, but managed to get brighter.

"Really? Good, cause I was worried that now that you got me out of your system or something you'd be done with me and able to move on." She revealed. He scoffed, placing a light kiss to her lips.

"Me? Get tired of you? Impossible." He assured with a mix between a smirk and smile. She blushed and chuckled when he extended his hand. She gratefully took it, lacing her fingers with his.

He led her out of the bathroom, where they got obvious stares. The men chuckled and looked envious where as the woman had looked jealous and disgusted. They both just brushed it off, it was expected that people would have that reaction.

Neither of them expected their four friends to break out into applause across the room. Ordering a round of drinks on the sole fact that they had finally "sealed the deal with their crotch's" as Santana practically shouted across the club.

Well at least they didn't have to worry about their friends disapproving of their relationship. And when Puck turned to Rachel giving her an apologetic look that was also laced with amusement, she knew she made the right choice.

Noah Puckerman was the man for her, just as much as she was his girl.

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><p><strong>Yay for Puckleberry finally getting it in again :) Sorry if you arent really into hot bathroom sex, but hey, not my problem. Anyhoo, review it and subscribe if your perfect hearts desire. Thank you so much for such a positive response and lots of drama on the way. I'm giving Mike more depth into his story line and there id a definate visit to Beth in the near future. <strong>

**Love you lots ;)**


	9. Chapter 9

**WOOOO NEXT CHAPTER. nomnomnomnom. sorry for the slight delay, draw something has practically taken over everything in my life so yeah. I also have testing and like four projects due monday. None of which is started, so don't expect an update right away :P. But anyway, enjoy!**

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><p>When Rachel wakes up the next morning she can literally feel herself glowing with over happiness. It may or may not have something to do with the half naked man her head is currently resting on.<p>

She sighs in a happy breath, relishing the way he always seems to smell so… him, before slowing perching up. She's surprised to see he's looking back at her with a light smile. He brushes the messy hair away from her face.

"Morning." he says. She nods due to lack of words, something Noah always seemed to bring out in her. Leaning up more, she brushes her lips over his, not being able to fight the smile. The way he kisses her brings on waves and waves of wonderful, no perfect, memories from last night. Every touch, kiss, words, bring on her remembrance of their hot, long overdue bed sex.

"_Been waiting too fucking long to get you in a bed." he had practically growled at her._

The shivers take over her body involuntarily and he chuckles against her. "You're so perfect." he tells her. He kisses her again, obviously wanting more, when she shakes her head.

"Noah, we need to make sure Caroline's not awake. You know how cranky she can be in the mornings." she warned. He just nods his head, maneuvering back again to kiss her. She lets him of course, long enough to satisfy somewhat of their needs before she pecks his nose and is out of the warm bed.

He smirks to himself watching her, his girl, slip on a pair of tiny shorts to go along with his shirt that she had already been wearing. Trust him when he says nothing hotter then Rachel walking around in his clothes. She toes on her slippers, opening the door quietly, then turning to give him a wink. He chuckles, getting up to follow her.

The sound of their feet padding through his apartment fills the silence between them. Rachel creaks open the nursery's door, smiling almost immediately. She walks over to where her perfect little angel is already up, chewing on the head of the giraffe Noah had gotten her. She really loves that silly toy.

"Hey baby girl." she whispers leaning down to gently pick her up. The giraffe is all but forgotten when Rachel rocks her in her arms. It's odd for her to see her own eyes looking right back at her, big and curious as always.

She cradles her against her chest, kissing her soft forehead. Rachel feels a hand press against her back, until they're both wrapped around her waist. Puck's head perches on her shoulder, kissing her neck lightly, then looking at Caroline.

"Lets go out today. Me, you, Cara." he suggests. Old Rachel might've panicked, she had to have everything planned like three months in advance. But new Rachel, Rachel who had the un-planned baby and lived, then found Noah and whose life is sort of perfect right now, easily agrees.

Whatever they're doing, as long as they're together, is just fine by her.

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><p>It's snowing again, something that makes Rachel think of her winters in New York. Her trips to Rockefeller center to go ice skating, to see the tree, shop. Something about the snow, it just seems to hold good memories.<p>

"It ain't vegan, but it's fucking awesome." Puck smirks, handing her the cup of hot chocolate he just bought at a vender. He takes a sip of his own, walking next to her as she pushes the stroller.

"Thank you, and please Noah, for the love of God, stop cursing." she laughed. She took a sip, containing her moan of pleasure then set it in the handy cup holder. She brushed a lair of snow that formed over the hood of the stroller that covered Caroline.

"You didn't seem to mind it last night." he throws back. She hits him on the arm, earning a laugh. "Come on Rach, I'm just kidding. We totally don't need Cara to be cussing like a trucker. You know what my first word was?" he asks. Rachel shakes her head at him. "Tits." he chuckles. "My dad used that word more then he watched nascar. Which was my second word."

She rolls her eyes with a smile in place. "It isn't so much I'm worried about her first word being something obscene," she laughs. "it's that I don't want it to shape her life, you know?" she says. "Like when she's five or six and in school, thinking it's perfectly fine to call a mean boy a you-know-what." she inquires.

"Voldemort?" he asks.

"You're such a dork." she giggles. He smiles cheekily at her, looking utterly adorable paired with his warm scarf and hat. Adorable, she never thought she see the day that she'd call the proclaimed badass that of all words. Sexy, hot, funny, surprisingly sensitive, and super awesome were definitely up there though.

"You love it." he muttered, kissing her on the cheek. She couldn't argue with him, so she just continued smile as they walked. He took a sip of his hot chocolate, eyeing her like so many other times he has before. He had wanted to say "I love you" maybe added with a "more than anything in this entire universe", but he bit his tongue.

What if she wasn't ready for that? They just got together, just found their place in each others hearts again. She just had a baby, need he remind you. She's been through so much in the past couple of weeks that she didn't need another possible problem. Between Caroline and Santana and Brittany and him, didn't she have enough already?

It didn't mean he didn't want to love her. No, don't put words into his mouth, he hates that. But it does mean that he'll wait until she's ready. He's been waiting for her since Senior Year, hell maybe even when she dumped his ass Sophomore Year. So he's just fine with waiting for her, he's been doing it for five years.

"Noah?" her voice pulls him from his trance, looking down at her smiling face. God she looks gorgeous with the white fluffy hat, matching scarf, and snow sticking to her hair. He wishes there were words to describe what she looks like to him. Maybe Greek Goddess, but he pictures them being in warm settings. Now he's gonna have to take her to the beach…

He realizes he still hasn't answered her, shaking his head of images of Rachel laying on the beach in a white bikini. "Uh, yeah, sorry, what?" he asks. She smirks at him, he taught her that, and continues.

"I said, it'd be really nice to maybe go sit down somewhere. Maybe a little warmer." she suggests.

"You cold?" he asks, ready to give her his jacket even though that would mean hypothermia for him.

"No, I just don't want Caroline to be out here too long. Her nose is getting a little red." she smiles. He nods at her, taking the lead and bringing them to a small café. The sign _Delicious Sins_, was what drew him in the first time he went, but the food was actually pretty awesome. He even thinks there the vegan shit Rachel eats in there, or gluten free, but whatever. He can't be superman all the time. Maybe Batman, he was pretty chill.

They settle in, fitting Caroline in a booster seat, while she gnaws on her giraffe. Puck ahs a feeling that the little toy is going to be inseparable from her. But it keeps her calm and quiet, so who is he to complain.

Puck gets a couple of little things for them to eat, vegan cookies (major score) and a brownie thing for himself. He sets the cookies in front of Rachel and her face lights up like a kid on Christmas eve, or Hanukah's eve on their terms.

He sits in the seat across from her, watching her eat, all while fighting laughs. She looks like she hasn't seen a cookie in ages. Which he knows isn't true cause he had to replace the oreos that Rachel ate. They were Santana's and no way in hell was there a way to stop that woman when someone ate her food.

"So Santana and Mike seemed pretty happy last night." she comments absentmindedly. Puck raises an eyebrow at her, not really sure at what she's getting at. "I saw Mike's baby after my first real break on Broadway. You know the one he had with Tina?" she hints.

"Oh. Yeah, I really got no clue what happened there." he tells her, finally understanding on what she wanted to know. "I mean, I haven't really talked to the dude since last night, but I know Sam kept in touch. I'll ask him."

She shakes her head at him. "That's so nosy."

"You wanted to know." he laughs. She mock-pouts at him, making him want to dive across the table and capture those plump lips in his. He controls it though; he's had a lot of practice.

"You think she'll be alright? Santana?" she asks.

He shrugs a shoulder at her, honestly not being sure. He has seen improvement since Rachel showed up with Cara. From what he knows, she hasn't even had sex since Rachel came into their lives. Which was like an every three day occurrence if not more.

"I hope she will be. She really deserves what's best." she comments. He nods in agreement, thinking the same for his friend. Out of everyone special in his life, she deserves the happy ending they're all trying so hard to reach.

"I think if she works hard she'll make it." he tells her. Rachel's eyes soften on him, knowing his soft spot for the Latina girl. Once companions, turned friends with benefits, turned best friends. They've been through a lot, if not it all, together. And Puck and Santana were always practically the same person.

"What about you Rach?" he asks suddenly. "How are you doing? Really? And don't spare me cause we're together now, be honest."

She's surprised by his sudden inquisitiveness, opening then shutting her mouth again. He looks at her expectantly.

"I'm good." she tells him, he's about to retort when she holds up a hand. "Better, now that I have you." she admits. "But I'm doing well, thank you." she pauses, taking a breath to even herself out. "It was hard though." she says. He reaches across the table, wrapping his hand in hers. "Being around you… those memories… it was hard at first."

"I think I was more so worried that it wouldn't be the same." she breathes. "As before, in High School." she clarifies. "We were so good together as friends. I was just worried we couldn't go back to that." her voice had dropped low and she used her free hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her eyes.

"We could never go back to that Rach." he said. "We're so much better now. Stronger." he told her. She fought back tears, loving every comforting word he offered. This man that she knew now, the one that had grown up and transformed into something so much brighter, was one she couldn't help but fall in love with.

The thought burns in her head, but it occurs to her that she had always loved him. Even as the friend. He was the one who was always going to make her feel better, and hold her when she needed him to. He always knew the right thing to say to make everything else seem so easy.

"You've grown up so much." The tears are all but forgotten, a smile instead. He rolls his eyes at her, typical Puck response. Even if he's changed, for the better, she still loves seeing the old him shine through.

"Yeah, well you too." he chuckles. He squeezes her hand in his. "Hey Rachel?" he asks. She perks her head to the side, keeping her eyes locked on his. "This was a pretty awesome first date." he smirks. Her blush reddens her cheeks, but she points a finger at him.

"No, I don't think so mister." she says. "I'm pretty sure when we went to Breadstix on Valentines Day and I made you buy me practically all the breadsticks that they had, counted as a date." she laughs. He shakes his head.

"That was not our first date! You broke up with Finn like three weeks before Valentine's Day and I felt bad cause you were still all sad and shi-stuff." he quickly corrects. "Actually our first date was to the movies, when I made you see like Saw 8 in 3D."

"You want to count that as our first date? I ran to the bathroom and was dry heaving for at least half an hour!" she agrued. Puck grimaced, thinking about that day. He probably shouldn't have taken her to Olive Garden for endless Pasta bowls, then to a scary movie.

"Fine, then this is our first official date." he states.

"Fine."

"Well alright then."

"No, wait. How about that time we drove to Cedar Point? You took me to that cute diner and bought me my first real chocolate milkshake." she sighed.

"Doesn't count. We went ice skating at the local rink like four weeks before that. Definitely our first date." he shot back.

"No, you fell down and sprained your wrist. We left halfway through." she chuckled.

He rolled his eyes, fighting the urge to tell her he sprained his wrist saving her ass when she nearly fell flat on her face. "I don't know if my mom was more mad or I was. I was out for like-"

"Momma!"

The entire conversation dropped, both of their eyes widening before landing on the small girl. "Momma, Momma, Momma, Momma!" she repeated as a chant. Rachel broke into a smile, lifting her daughter out of the seat to hold her.

"Oh my gosh Noah! She said Momma!" Rachel squealed excitedly. She bit her bottom lip looking at Caroline again. "Can you say Momma?" she asked in her baby cooing voice.

"Momma!" she shrieked. Puck laughed along with Rachel, who couldn't tear her eyes away from her baby. Her baby. Her little girl had just said her first words, and it was her identifier of all things.

"Can you say Puck?" he asked Caroline.

"Momma!" she yelled back. Puck frowned, a little disappointed, making Rachel break into a fit of giggles. Pouting was one of the few things a Puckerman rarely did, so every time it was done, it got a little funnier.

The rest of the day they both tried to get Caroline to say more and more words, every time though, she just screamed back the only one she knew. When Santana got home later that night, Puck and Rachel were sprawled out on the floor of the nursery, Caroline sleeping soundly in her bed.

After putting a blanket over their bodies, she closed the door silently, getting to her own room. She guessed it had been a good day. A really good day.

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><p><strong>oooookkkaaay... well i know it's short and basically all fluffy and lovey dovey, but it was needed for the next chapter cause it's getting mad intense. So, until next timee.. R&amp;R<strong>

**lots of love as always :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay i sorta lied. It's not 'mad intese' but we do learn a lot. I kinda maybe realized i needed to clear up a few things before i got to some real hearty drama. anyway, the story... :) **

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><p>"You know there's a reason beds were invented." Santana pipes, looking up from her morning coffee. Rachel shoots her a glare, massaging the back of her neck. Yeah, sleeping on the floor wasn't one of her brightest ideas, but what's done is done.<p>

Caroline squeals when Puck picks her up out of the high chair, swinging her around. The smiles on both of their faces nearly make her forget entirely about the pain in her neck. Puck is halfway through giving her feather kisses on her nose to make Cara giggle when Rachel's phone begins blaring.

She hops off the bar stool, shuffling her feet over to where her phone lays. She flips it open, seeing who it is before answering.

"What's up Q?" she says.

"Oh hey!" she responds. She almost sounds surprised to hear her voice, which makes zero to no sense since Quinn was the one who phoned her. "Nothing unordinary." She laughs. Rachel raises her eyebrow to herself at her friends weird mood.

"Okay." She drawls out. "Is there something you needed?" she asks. There's a pause on the other line, and Rachel glances back to Santana and Puck. They're both too precoippied in their owns things to notice the stress lines forming over her head.

"Actually yes." She finally answers. "Can you come over? As soon as possible I guess. And just you. And of course Cara. But I just need some girl time, ya know?"

Rachel nods to herself. "Of course Quinn. I'll be there soon." She tells her. And with a quick goodbye she's gone.

"What'd Quinn want?" Puck asks, still rocking the baby back in forth in his arms. She smiles at him softly.

"She wants a girls day." She looks at Santana. "I guess she knew you had work." she commented. Santana lets out a snort, setting her coffee mug down on the counter.

With a roll from the latina's eyes she continues. "As if. She's just mad because she thinks I threw up in her living room the other night. And it totally wasn't. Bitch is crazy." She laughs. Rachel doesn't bother correcting her about the no cursing rule around Cara, but instead just turns her attention back to Puck as he begins to speak.

"I can take her for the day. If you want." He says. "You and Q can do your girly whatever stuff and me and the bunny can hang out. Watch sports. Maybe do some gambling." He jokes with a smile.

Rachel bites her bottom lip, looking at how comfortable her baby seems to be in his arms. "That'd be great Noah. Thank you." She says sincerely. He smiles at her, taking a few strides to give her a quick kiss. Earning a gagging noise from Santana.

"Okay I'll be back as soon as I can." She promises. Another kiss, a grab of the purse and phone, and she's out the door.

Santana leans back in her chair, glancing at Puck with a knowing smirk. She's always been able to read her best friends features. He was just so obvious sometimes.

"Have ya told her yet?" she asked with honest curiosity. He rolls his eyes, shaking his head. She lets out a deep sigh. "In good time I guess." She comments. He just smiles at her, bringing Cara with him into the living room.

She watches them play, well more so him goof around and make her laugh. But either way, it's pretty adorable. She can't help but think about how perfect everything has gotten for him over the past couple of weeks. How much better all of their lives have gotten since Rachel got here.

But she knows that Rachel is also benefiting with being in Baltimore. The way she had described New York and Broadway to her. It just made it all seem like an impossible illusion that she had been reaching so hard to get, only to be disappointed.

Santana can only wish that if not get better, that everything stay the same. So at least they'll have this. The now. Because right now, it seems pretty damn good.

* * *

><p>Knocking on the door, Rachel shifts from foot to foot waiting patiently for Quinn to answer. Soon she does, and like before how she was on the phone, she seems surprised she's there. Shaking her head in maybe remembrance, before pulling her inside.<p>

"Quinn what's going on?" Rachel asks. Even though they had just started to rekindle their long forgotten friendship, she can still pick up on the little things she did back in high school. Like pace when she's nervous, or gnaw on her bottom lip to the point where Rachel thinks she could bite it off.

Quinn takes a deep breath to settle herself, before answering Rachel's question. "I went to see Beth again yesterday." She says, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat. Rachel can tell she's fighting back tears, but doesn't quite understand why. Shouldn't seeing her daughter be a good thing.

"And?" Rachel presses.

"And Shelby's leaving." Quinn breathes. "She's going to Seattle." Quinn's voice trembles into her words, making Rachel run up to her and give her a hug. She lets Quinn stain her shirt, trying to comfort her. Rachel can't possibly imagine what she's going through. Quinn's had to deal with losing her daughter, getting her back, losing her once again, and then finally returning to her. Now all that was going to be ripped away.

"I'm so sorry." Rachel muttered. She had no reassuring words. She could only comfort her pain. "Sweetie, when is she leaving?" she asks. She isn't sure how exactly to address her biological mother. Because mom just doesn't seem to fit the bill.

"Next week. Apparently she got a job offer." She tells her. Rachel nods, rubbing Quinn's back lightly.

"Does Noah know this?" she asks. It suddenly hits her that Quinn had said that he saw her too. That he and Beth had been getting to know each other as father and daughter. His smile from this morning burns into her mind as she thinks that it could all suddenly leave him.

Quinn shakes her head, and her expression goes from sadden to pained. Puck is one of Quinn's dearest friends. He's a part of her no matter what.

"That… bitch." Rachel finally manages. "I mean for the love of god, hasn't she hurt enough people already?" her voice begins to rise, echoing throughout the apartment. Quinn's facial features don't even flinch, at her words.

"Thank god that gene didn't get past down to you." Quinn says.

Rachel scoffs in return, but it comes out more as an upset huff. "The nerve she has, tearing your child away from you and Noah time and time again." She states. Quinn rests her head against her shoulder, loving the saftey she seems to give off.

Quinn nods in agreement. She's never liked Shelby. Never respected her. And every time she thinks about that woman raising her child it makes her sick. But then she'll go and see her, Beth, her smiling face, flowing blonde hair and deep hazel eyes. See how her features and personality seemed to have only adapted to the good things her and Puck attributed.

The fact that Puck had taught her to play the guitar, a skill she picked up effortlessly within a week or so. Or as much determination and pride an elementary school girl could withhold.

As Quinn thinks about all these good things Beth has going for her, she's comforted. Knowing her daughter may pick up a few things from Shelby is one thing, but knowing that she'll be more like her and Puck's good traits, sets her at ease.

"Quinn?" Rachel voice pulls her out of her thought cloud, a slow and gentle smile spreading over her face.

"It'll be okay, Rach. Don't worry." Quinn states.

Rachel looks at her as if she's gone mad. One second she's balling her eyes out, the next she's reveling how everything will be just fine. But this is Quinn. And the amount of truth behind her eyes is undeniable, so Rachel reluctantly nods her head, almost waiting for the next wave of tears.

Quinn chuckles. "Rach I'm okay. I had a revelation okay? We're good." She says. Her smiles gets smaller, kinder even. "But telling Puck will be hard. He loves her so much and to think that he'll have to lose her again." She pauses to shake her head. "I just don't want to see him in that much pain again."

Rachel sighs. She wishes she knew how to make it all better again. To make the hurt in everyone stop.

"We'll make it, though." Quinn says. "We always do."

Rachel knows just how much truth is behind that statement. Various memories passing through her. From the night after Noah lost Beth and he came crying to her house, to the first time her and Quinn talked about their hatred of Shelby. When she came back and Noah came running to Rachel asking what he was supposed to do to show Shelby that he was fit to be a father figure. When Quinn needed help finding herself.

"I know you do." Rachel finally says. "I just wish you didn't have to do it all the time."

Quinn smiles, untangling herself from Rachel's grip then grabbing her hand and leading her to the couch to sit them down. "That's life though, we all have our crosses to bear." She laughs lightly.

Rachel snorts, running her free hand through her hair while the other still holds Quinn's. "Yeah well it sucks."

Quinn smirks at her, nodding her head. "No shit." She chuckles. "So, you and Puck? Or should I say Noah?"

She purses her lips to fight not only to creeping smile but the blush rising to her cheeks. Quinn laughs yet again. "Finally. You two are destined for each other. I knew it the moment I saw 'Need You Now'."

Rachel laughs loudly, making her body actually feel better at the tension realse. "That's exactly what Santana had told me back in High School. She said that we had to get together based solely on that duet."

Quinn smiled. "Speaking of said girl, has she said anything to you about Mike at all?" she asked, perching her head slightly to the side. Rachel shook her head, and Quinn let out a low humming noise. Rachel raised an expectant eyebrow at her.

Quinn sighed in defeat. "Well it's just that I haven't seen her this happy since Brittany. And Mike seems to calm her down or something, I'm not really sure how to explain it."

Rachel nodded, remembering seeing the duo at the Purple Lady. They'd practically been glued to each other the entire time. Even if most of her attention was on Noah, it was still obvious the connection the two had.

"Now do you know what happened with him and Tina? Cause I saw their baby. Cute little thing." Rachel said.

Quinn's eyes went a little wide and Rachel knew she was going to get really into the story she was about to tell. She always did that whenever the story seemed to amaze even her.

"Oh my god yes. I finally got it out of Sam. Apperently they were together all through the beginning of college. Tina got pregnant junior year so she had to drop out." Quinn said. Rachel leaned forward getting more into the story.

"A little while after that Mike had to stop taking his dancing classes because they were getting expensive and they needed to pay the bills. Then he graduated, top of his class of course, as a business major instead of a professional dancer like he wanted. But Sam tells me he's happy so whatever." She continued.

"What about the baby Q? When did they break up?" Rachel asked. She felt like she was stuck in a soap opera waiting for all the details they only gave you at the very end. The big twist in the story.

"Ah, yes, the break up. Well turns out that Tina was sneaking around with Artie." Quinn says. Rachel's jaw falls open but she continues on anyway. "And guess who doesn't have a child after all. Mike Chang."

"No." Rachel lets out in astonishment. It is just like a soap opera. Maybe a lifetime movie. "Oh my gosh! Poor Mike!"

Quinn nodded, frowning. "Yeah, he drew the short end of the stick. But Sam's says he's doing alright, and I believe him. But there's something there that he's still holding back. I'm just not sure what it is yet though."

Rachel shrugged, trying to digest all this information she's just gotten in only a few hours. Between Shelby and Beth moving, and Mike and Tina's not baby, she was a little overwhelmed with it all. She hasn't gossiped in a long a time. It makes her think of Kurt and Mercedes, gossiping like old women back in High School. She wonders what they're up to right now.

"It's weird. How we all ended up." Rachel comments, thinking of how different life is now compared to High School. She's no longer chasing after the quarter back and Broadway and she's best friends with two of the people who hated her the most. And not to mention the fact that she's falling in love with Lima Ohio's original badass.

"Oh honey." Quinn laughs. "We're just getting started."

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><p><strong>YAY! End of this chapter and on to the next one which should be up soonish. lol no promises. Happy St. Patty's Day! I'll be off getting shit faced, hope you do the same in spirit of the Irish. hahah and make sure to eat plenty of cornbeef and cabagge cause that shits so good :) <strong>

**Up next we got a little Beth drama and some Chopez? Mitana? Lang? i give up. and of course the awesomeness called Puckleberry. **

**OH! and heard that Puck's finally getting a storyline to do with his dad! PRAISE THE LAWRD! but seriously RIB better not fuck this up and kill my soul. I can always hope for some Puck and Rachel action because she comforts him or some shit. idk I'd probably cry tears of joy nbd. **

**BUT UNTIL NEXT TIME! lots of love and see ya soon ;) R&R lovies and stay beautiful **


	11. Chapter 11

**IT'S FINALLY HERE! ugh it's been forever but I've been so busy it's not even funny. I finally got to write this and I'm really happy with where the story is going, and i hope you are too. Here it is! **

**BTW'BS GLEE TOMORROW! AND TWO HOURS! eeeee so excited to see Mark as Blaine. OH! And Mark sitting practically naked on my television last weeek? Holy hell. And plus he's the sweetest guy ever, seeing him with Becky like that tugged at my heart strings. He made up for Corey's bad acting at the end. God, the just keep digging Finchel into a deeper and deeper hole. Lol I miss Puckleberry.**

**Enjoy! ;)**

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><p>Puck hears his phone blaring from the other room, groaning because he finally got Caroline to sleep. It's probably Sam, he's gonna kill that asshole if he wakes her up. Puck hops off the couch and to the source of the ringing, getting to it just as the lyrics for Eminem's 'Cold Wind Blows' finish out. He really should change it now that he's got Rach and Cara around. They've got sensitive ears and shit.<p>

"Yo." he says as soon as he flips open his prehistoric dinosaur. A Motorola Razor. Fucking T-Mobile giving him this crap ass phone.

"Oh, hi, Noah, sorry to bother you but it's Shelby…" the woman trails. And really it's a blur from there. All Puck got out of the hour conversation they had was something about moving to Seattle. In like a week. And that she's taking Beth with her. He's taking away his child. Again.

He's got all these emotions swimming around him, from incredibly pissed, to confused, and back to utterly pissed. He hates this woman. Well, scratch that, used to kinda like her because she let him visit Beth whenever, but now? Now he fucking hates her guts. He wonders how this woman could possibly have any connection to Rachel Berry. They're nothing alike to which he's grateful for.

Somehow he ends up hanging up on her halfway through one of her sentences. He can't listen to any more of that shit. "Blah, blah, I'm taking your kid, blah, sorry, yeah, blah." For fucks sake, why?

He knew she had a job. A good fucking job too because she lived in a huge house built for a family of eight. Her and Beth were constantly going on vacation and he never saw his kid in a brand that wasn't worth half his salary. Unless it was something that he'd gotten her, like this sweatshirt that had a big goofy panda bear on. He took pride in the fact that she wore that thing till there was holes in it. Then she made him go out and buy her another one.

As he thinks about that stupid green sweatshirt, he comes to realization that he's not gonna be able to buy her crap like that anymore. He could, he knows that, but he wouldn't get to see her pale little face light up in happiness. He wouldn't get the bone crushing hug and feathery kisses on his nose. He was going to miss that. All of it.

He lets himself travel into the nursery to where he sees Caroline wide awake and swinging that damn giraffe. She makes a noise at him that no one but her understands; he comes over to her any way. He smiles when she puts her hands up towards him, signaling she wants him to hold her.

He does this, cradling her small frame against his chest. Somehow, she makes him feel eons better. He finds it oddly amusing that she drifts to sleep so easily when she fought so hard earlier. He guesses she didn't want to be in the crib, she wanted the touch of another. She's going to be stubborn. Just like her mother.

He sits down in the stupid rocking chair he let Rachel buy. It's bright yellow and covered in this pansy ass flowers, but he doesn't even care right now. Right now he wants to hold onto one thing he's going to make sure not to lose.

* * *

><p>Rachel finds Noah in the nursery when she gets home later. He has dried tears under his closed eyes and Caroline sleeping peacefully in his broad arms. She would've smiled if it weren't for the tears. She has thoughts of Shelby calling him. Of hearing that for yet another time he's going to lose his daughter. She swallows the thick lump of sadness in her throat before continuing into the room.<p>

She grabs Caroline out of his arms gently, not waking either. She presses a soft kiss to her child's head before placing her in the crib. Just as she sets her down she hears Noah from behind her.

"Hey, you're back." he says sleepily. She smiles, turning to face her boyfriend. He's already out of the chair and getting closer to her before she can manage a response. At her silence, Puck uses this opportunity to kiss her. Warm, and so full of that L word that's trying to escape her own lips.

He smiles at her when he pulls away, encircling her in his arms. Her hand comes up to wipe the stains of his face with her sleeve. His smile quickly turns into a confused frown. He starts to question her actions, but is silenced by her little finger on his lips. She nods towards Cara then out the door. He understands, walking with her into the hall.

She closes the door silently, taking his hand and leading them into their room. Once in there Rachel starts to ask the questions that have been surging through her head since she got back. She needs to know if he's alright. If Shelby called him. What emotions he's feeling inside. If he needs a hug or needs to get drunk. She needs to know. And with all these questions, she ends up just settling on one.

"Are you okay?" she asks. The flash of pain across his hazels doesn't go unmissed. But like many times before it vanishes as soon as it came. He's so good at hiding everything and burying his feelings so deep inside.

"What did you talk to Quinn about?" He counters back. He sits down on the bed, lacing his hands together on his lap. She stares at him for a minute, before coming to sit next to him.

"Shelby." She finally answers. His eyes jolt to meet hers in the darkness. There's a thin light from the sunset coming from the closed curtains. Other than that it's nearly pitch black in his room. Their room. But none of this matters. What matters is that Rachel knows what's eating him inside. He knows Quinn's probably feeling the same way.

"Quinn told you what she's doing, huh?" he asks stiffly. His voice barely breaks. Rachel lets her eyes water, feeling the pain for him. He looks so hurt and god, it's killing her. She wishes she could take it away. She'd trade places with him if it meant he didn't look how he looks now.

"Noah, I'm so sorry. You don't deserve any of this and if you need me to do anything, really just-" she's cut off by him crushing her into a hug. She's caught off guard for a minute but recovers right away, returning the hug by wrapping her arms around him. He buries his head against her shoulder and she feels the fabric of her shirt get balled up in his fists.

"It's not fucking fair Rach. It's just not." He whispers. She nods though he probably can't see her, but kisses the top of his shaved head. After this, she rests her head against that spot, closing her eyes. She feels his body start to shake and soon he's crying. She can't help it when she cries too. When she just holds him closer trying to erase some of the pain.

She thinks back to the first time she saw him cry; she's only seen it that one time. And even then she wasn't supposed to. It was just kind of an accident. Not like this time. Now he was actually trusting her enough to expose his emotions. The first time, was full of alcohol, and screams. She briefly wonders if that pain was worse than this because of how angry it was. But now as he sobs against her, letting her hold him at his most vulnerable, she thinks this is much worse.

* * *

><p><strong>3 Weeks Before Graduation – Senior Year<strong>

_Her mind was racing and the smile on her face was actually hurting her. She did it. She nailed her NYADA audition. "Blew me out of the water" were the judges actual words. God, she couldn't have been happier. And she could only think of one person she wanted to tell. Her best friend, the guy she was too afraid to admit she was falling for._

_She pulls up in front of his house, noticing that the driveway is empty, but Noah's truck is parked out front. She's pretty sure she actually skips to his house. Yeah, she's that happy._

_She doesn't knock on the door because he never answers. Plus, she has a key. And no, Puck did not give it to her, his mother did. And apparently she did this with all his friends. Rachel found this strange, but Puck doesn't have many close friends. Only Finn and Santana have a key other than her. And she's pretty sure Puck snagged the key Finn had and gave it to Sam._

_She takes his steps two at a time, and swings open his door. That smile, the blinding one that was on her face only moments ago disappears._

_"Noah?" she says. His room is trashed, that she notices first. Second, he's on the floor, in the spot where his bed once was. Now it's hanging in front of his tv along with cracked pieces of the bed frame. Then she notices the nearly empty bottle of whiskey dangling in his fingertips._

_"The fuck do you want?" he spits. She isn't fazed by his tongue, coming further into his room. She has to step over broken pieces of furniture and pictures to make it to him, but she gets there. She stands in front of him, folding her arms across her chest._

_"What happened?" she asked softly. His head jerks up from its slumped position to meet her gaze. His eyes are glassed over with all the alcohol composition and she doesn't like this. Noah Puckerman is an angry drunk. She knows, she gets yelled at every time he's had more than a few drinks. Well sometimes. Sometimes, he gets clingy and wants to make out and talks about how nice her boobs are. She has a feeling that this isn't one of those times though._

_He snorts a laugh at her. Then he takes the final chug of his bottle, throwing it across the room so it shatters against the wall. She jumps slightly but doesn't move from her stance. "What didn't happen is more like it doll face." He laughs. "What won't be happening actually."_

_She frowns. "What are you talking about?" she asks. His words sound like the mumble jumble you'd here in a fortune cookie. It doesn't help that his words are slurred and his throaty drawl gets thicker. It'd actually be kind of sexy if it were under different circumstances._

_"I'm talking about being a senior again, baby!" he shouts. He laughs again, throwing his hands up in the air as a mock celebration. "I guess I ain't as good at geography as I thought. Fucking failed outta that shit. And now I get to come back again. Ain't that just fucking great." His words twist from the fake laughter to real anger. He gets himself off the ground, stumbling a bit._

_She watches him walk, well slightly fall, towards his closet. He tosses bits of clutter away to get inside. She groans when he pulls out another bottle, tequila this time. He rips off the top, taking a long sip._

_"Noah, stop. I'm sure if we go talk to someone we'll figure it out. They can't possibly fail hold you back for one class. That's outrageous." She tells him._

_"Fuck you know what's outrageous? Dem legs." He says pointing at her with his bottle, getting some of it to fall on the floor. "And that I'm gonna end up just like Papa Puckerman. Now that's hella crazy." He snorts._

_She sighs, stomping her way over to him. She grabs the bottle from him, to which he frowns. He's too drunk to realize what she doing though or his senses are just off enough for him to have a slow reaction. She proceeds into his bathroom, dumping the liquid down the sink._

_"The fuck do you think you're doing crazy?" he yells. She places the empty bottle on the counter._

_"I'm helping you." She responds._

_"I don't need help." He growls. "Especially not from you."_

_Her glare is icy and she pushes him out of the door way so she can get back into his room. "That's a load of crap Noah. You need help. You're going to get sober and we're going to fix this." She states pointing a finger at him._

_"Fix what!" he practically screams. "I'm a failure Berry, it's what I do. I fail shit. I was never going to get out of Lima. You and I both know that."_

_"Don't you dare say that!" she says back. "You are not a failure."_

_"Says you." He spits. "Everyone else knows that I'm no good. My dad knew, Quinn knew, dammit even my fucking daughter is gonna know her dad ain't worth shit."_

_She swallows, looking at the broken boy in front of her. She wishes his life was easier and that he didn't have to constantly go through people telling him he wasn't good enough. She knows from experience that if people say something enough you start to believe it's true._

_"Noah…" she starts. His hand shoots up and the pure look of anger across his face actually scares her._

_"Rachel stop. I don't need your pity shit, alright? I don't fucking need you to tell me that I'm good enough because I'm not. Jesus Christ, why can't you get that?" he yells. "Everyone else does. I know. Okay? I suck plain and simple. I'm not good enough."_

_"Is that what you want me to say?" she fires back. "That you can't do anything and aren't good enough?" she asks. "Fine. You aren't good enough. You shouldn't even try because all you do is fail. Is that better?" her voice has risen to nearly a scream as she searches his eyes for any hint of a reaction._

_"That all you got?" he says simply._

_"No. You are not only an incapable person but a bully. You pray on the weak and make people feel awful about themselves and deserve the same back to you. You deserved everything you went through with Quinn and you didn't deserve your daughter. Is that better? Huh? Is that what you need to hear?" she screams. "All you ever do is come out last. You're going to be stuck in this town forever and end up just like your father." She spews._

_He cracks. Finally he cracks. She doesn't know what did it, she guesses it was when she brought up his dad, but he cracks. He slumps to his knees and cries. And god, he looked so defeated. So lost. Even with the left over anger in her she couldn't leave him like that. So she got down next to him and held him. Held him for all the times he held her. Assured him that her words were lies and that he was going to make it._

_After he stopped and his eyes had finally stopped leaking, he whispered a thank you to her. She didn't understand why he'd be thanking her for breaking him, but it clicked. He needed to break. Everyone does. You can't go around with the weight of the world on your shoulders and just hold it in. Eventually it starts to eat you, suffocate you with its venom._

_And just like the venom, it needed to be sucked out, to be released. She was glad it was her that cleared the pain away for him. _

* * *

><p>They don't talk much about it the next morning. It's like he wants to forget it ever happened. And he does. He wishes he never got that call, wishes Shelby would just stay so he could be with his kid. Sometimes he thinks it would be easier if he didn't know her at all. Didn't know Beth. If she were just the child he lost when he was a stupid teenager. But then he remembers all the memories he's built with her and forgets those thoughts immediately.<p>

Rachel understands when he tells her he needs to see Quinn. She'd be lying if she said she didn't feel a twinge of jealously, but it was only slight and barely existent. She knows Quinn loves Sam and vice versa, and she trusts Noah to be faithful, but she's still a little jealous. The bond that Quinn and Puck hold is always going to be there. They're always going to be connected no matter how hard anyone tries to break it.

Puck goes, the walk feeling longer than normal. The feeling of walking to Quinn's in such a mood reminds him of a funeral or something along the lines of a tragedy. But nobody's dying, though it kind of seems that way.

When Quinn answers the hug is immediate. There are no tears because they don't cry in front of each other. It's an unwritten rule for them. They've seen enough pain from one and other and now they just have to be strong. Again.

They drive to Shelby's house in silence; there isn't a word to say. They know how they're feeling. She knows he's as dead inside as she is. She even knows he cried like a baby last night. She knows because she did the same thing and feels the same way. She always thought they had some sort of physic connection like twin's do. They'd be like brother and sister if it weren't for the child they had.

"Puck, just don't be an ass in front of Beth." She says when they pull up to the large Victorian style house. "Please."

"Promise not to be a bitch then." He counters. She rolls her eyes and gets herself out of her car. They haven't even touched the front lawn yet when the door bursts open.

"Quinny!" Beth shouts. "Puck!" She races towards the two of them meeting them in a hug. Puck picks her up, swinging her back and forth like a rag doll listening to her laugh and saving it in his memory.

"Hey baby girl, how you doing?" he asks. He sets her down on the ground watching her light pink tongue poke out as she folds her little arms across her chest.

"I am not a baby." She huffs.

"He knows, honey. He's just being a goof." Quinn says lightly. He frowns at the girls earning a string of giggles from his daughter. The sound would've made him happy if it weren't for the woman that appeared in the doorway.

"Why don't you come inside." Shelby calls. Puck bites his tongue for every snappy remark he can think of, and a glance at Quinn tells him she's doing the same. She's almost as bad as Santana when she wants to be a bitch. Sometimes she's worse because you wouldn't think such violence and rage could come from such a light and sweet looking woman.

Beth tugs at Puck's arm and Quinn's effectively pulling them both inside. Puck's only been in there once because he likes to take Beth out when they spend time together. But Quinn's never seen it, she was too afraid to see all the pictures of her daughter with another woman she called 'mom'. She was right to stay away.

Every picture she sees, every toy that lays askew on the ground makes her heart ache. Even the boxes upon boxes that are stacked in various rooms manage to crush her soul just a bit more. She wishes Sam were here just so he could hold her hand. But he didn't even know she was seeing Beth. She didn't want to tell him, not because she was ashamed, but because it was her history. It was her perfect thing.

"Sweetie, why don't you go play in your room for a bit while the adults talk. I promise you can see them a bit later." Shelby says to Beth. She frowns, swinging Puck and Quinn's hand before slowly nodding.

"Okay momma, but Puck is hardly an adult." She quips. There's a flash of a smirk, the Puckerman smirk, then she's gone and has dashed down the hallway and probably to her room.

Shelby sighs once her daughter is out of sight. "So I assume you two have questions." She starts. Puck snorts and Quinn tries to contain her glare at the two of them. The way Shelby talks reminds her of an old Rachel Berry, the sophomore, professional and too driven girl she hated. At least Rachel changed.

"How about we start with why are you leaving?" Puck asks. "And don't feed me that job bullshit cause you have a job, one you make money at."

"Of course I make money Noah," she says. He hates that she calls him Noah. Only Rachel, Beth, his mom and sometimes Santana are allowed to call him that. And Brittany, she was allowed to call him Noah too. "That's exactly why I need to leave. The company is expanding to Seattle and I got an offer I couldn't refuse."

"You could have." Quinn interjects. "You could've and you didn't."

Shelby sighs again, massaging her head lightly. Rachel does the same thing when she's aggravated or annoyed. "Listen, I know this is hard on you, I do, but Beth is my daughter." She states. "I am sorry that you won't be able to see her as much but that's just how life works. People move, make change."

"See her as much?" Puck scoffs. "How about like once every four years. You may have money but we don't. We can't really afford to fly to Seattle every other week."

"Well I apologize, but that's just how it's going to be." She says. She's stubborn in her words and he knows there's no use fighting. You can't win shit with this woman, you just have to let it go.

"Fine." Quinn drawls. "Can we at least have the day with Beth? A goodbye?" Puck looks at her then back at Shelby, swallowing thickly. He doesn't want to have to say goodbye, but he will if he has to.

"Of course. The two of you just have her home by eight. It is a school night." she agrees. "Beth!" she calls. There's a thud followed by the sounds of her little converse covered feet running down the hall. She skids to a halt when she gets back to where the three adults stand. Her smile is wide, showing the tooth she must've lost recently.

"What is it? Can I go out with Quinn and Puck? Huh Ma?" she asks eagerly. The light and happiness in the little girl's eyes makes her parents proud to claim such a child as their own. Shelby nods, making Beth bounce in her place.

"Yeah but nothing too crazy, you do have school." Quinn warns.

Beth blows that comment off. "Oh whatever, we can do all sorts of cool stuff! We can go to the zoo and eat ice cream and go to the park and-"

"Yeah, yeah, all of that and more." Puck chuckles. "Let's roll." He says. Beth laughs again, kissing her mom on the cheek before rushing out the door with Quinn trailing behind. Puck starts to follow but stops in the doorway. He sees Quinn helping Beth get her seat belt on in the car. He turns back to face Shelby who perches an eyebrow at him.

"You're daughter, Rachel, she's in town. She had a kid. Caroline. She's beautiful." Puck tells her. Shelby's eyes widen and she's found speechless. "Just thought you should know before you blow town." He hops of her porch, jogging to the car to where his daughter and friend wait. The only thing he sees in his rearview mirror as Quinn pulls away are the tears in Shelby's eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>WARNING I'M GOING TO CANADA (EH) SO DON'T EXPECT AN UPDATE RIGHT AWAY. <strong>

**Woo end of another chapter! Review and whatever you please! Thank you to all my readers who are sticking with it! **

**OH! And for those of you reading my Scream story, it's coming i swear! I just need to figure a few things out but the next chapter of that story will be the last. Maybe an epilouge but it won't be too long. **

**AND! lol, I'm working on a sequel to my Puckleberry Games story. It'll be really loosly based off Catching Fire. After reading the reviews i decided i should stick more to puckleberry than THG. **

**ALSO! (hehe) I'm working on another fucking story. This is probably why I get nothing done, but YOLO. lol that's so stupid never say that. It's another Hunger Games FanFic, it's so weird and i don't even know. **

**THEN! lol jk that's it. **

**lot's of love ;)**

**(haha, i switched my twitter to HungerGleek815 cause I hate my friends who follow me. I don't wanna be friends with bitches at my school so yeah. ;) HMU)**


	12. Chapter 12

**WOW HELLO YES I AM SO FUCKING SORRY I NEVER FINISHED THIS STORY. I REREAD THE ENTIRE STORY I WROTE THIS WEEK AND I JUST NEEDED TO FINISH IT TO I DID OMFG. I WROTE THIS STORY MY SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL AND IM FINISHING IT WHILE PROCRASTING TO STUDY AS A FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE. **

**FOR ANYONE WHO KEPT WITH THIS STORY I AM SO SORRY I NEVER FINISHED IT.**

**I LOVE YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR READING.**

* * *

><p>When Puck comes back to his apartment he feels almost defeated.<p>

He most likely won't be able to see his little girl again for months, maybe years.

He doesn't know how he's going to get through it. How he's going to survive this. And then he thinks of the little baby in the nursery him and Rachel put together not too long ago.

He thinks of Rachel.

God he loves her, more than anyone he's ever loved.

Sure he thought he loved Quinn at some point, but really all he wanted was Quinn and his baby and a family. He loved the idea of a family, not Quinn.

And a while back he thought he might be in love with Santana. She was beautiful and was the only person he's ever slept with who was better at sex than he was. She was the only person who challenged him in the bedroom. But she was sex. With Santana he never really felt love.

And then there was Rachel.

Rachel who stuck with him for the longest time, through all of his shit. Rachel who was more stubborn than he was. Rachel who believed in him. Believed he could do anything he wanted in life, and who _wanted_ him to do anything he wanted. Rachel who fit perfectly against him like she was made to be there.

He loved her.

So much that it scared him.

"Noah?" It's her voice, of course it's her voice because who's else would it be. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She steps closer to him as he stands leaning against his apartment door.

"I'm going to miss her."

"I know." She says. She walks closer until she's standing in front of him. She reaches out her hand and grabs his.

He closes his eyes and sighs. "I just don't want her to forget me, you know?"

"Noah, she won't forget you, you're her father. She loves you."

He opens his eyes back up to see Rachel smiling at him softly. He reaches out a hand and strokes her cheek, leaning in and kissing her lightly on the lips.

"You always have the right things to say."

She blushes, kissing him again. "Not always."

He pulls back and raises a questioning eyebrow.

She sighs, looking at the ground and not at him. "There's one thing I do want to say, but I can't."

"Why not?"

She looks up at him. "Because you might not say it back."

"I will." He promises.

Her eyes widen a bit but then she just smiles, kissing him one last time before pulling away.

"Not yet."

"Why not?" He asks again.

She pulls him towards the kitchen, sitting down on one of the stools. He follows suit, sitting next to her, still holding her hand.

"Because you've just lost your daughter and you're feeling sad. I want you to be happy when you say it."

He rolls his eyes. "You're ridiculous."

She chuckles lightly. "I know."

There's a knock at the door and Puck gets up to answer it. Quinn's standing there with puffy eyes, though she's no longer crying.

"Sorry-" she starts.

"No, no come in. You want a drink?" Puck asks.

Quinn walks inside, smiling when she see's Rachel and nodding her head at Puck. "Yes, please. Water or wine or both."

He chuckles almost sadly and walks to his fridge to get the water for her and Quinn takes Puck's seat.

"I want to forgot this day ever even happened." Quinn says.

Puck hums in agreement as he pours Quinn's cup of water, setting it down in front of her before going over to his (mostly Santana's) wine rack and pulling a bottle of red.

"Have you talked to Sam?" Rachel asks.

Quinn nods her head. "Yeah, I went home and I tried to but he just doesn't get it. He wasn't around when I was pregnant, or when I gave her up for adoption. He never really knew the type of person Shelby could be. He doesn't understand how hard this is."

Rachel squeezes her shoulder and Puck sets down a glass of wine in front of the blonde.

"Thank you." She says, picking it up and taking a big gulp.

He smiles and looks at Rachel. "You want one?"

She shakes her head. "No, thank you. I need to give Cara a bath when she wakes up from her nap. And she'll need to eat."

"I can take her for the night!" Quinn says.

"What?" Rachel asks. "Quinn, no. You're emotional over Beth, and you've already started drinking."

Quinn rolls her eyes. "I took a sip Rach, I'm not a lightweight. And I could use some baby bonding time. It'll make me feel better. Caroline is a delight. I'd like to spend some time with my niece."

"Niece?" Rachel asks.

Quinn nods. "Or godmother, whatever you prefer."

She laughs and shakes her head. "If you really want to-"

"Oh my god Rachel! Yes!" Quinn stands up and claps her hands together. "I'll bring Cara over to my place and Sam and I can give her a bath and we can play and I'll feed her. It'll be good practice for Sam!"

Puck snorts. "You're telling me goldilocks needs practice? Pfft. Weak."

Quinn reaches over the kitchen bar and smacks Puck on the arm making him laugh.

"I'll go pack Cara's things so you can take her when she wakes up." Rachel says with an eye roll at the duo.

Quinn smiles again and thanks Rachel.

Rachel goes into the nursery to get Caroline's bag, stopping to smile at her sleeping child. She never thought she'd be a mother. She never thought she'd want to be a mother. Anytime Rachel had pictured her future it involved her on the stage in New York, never with a child.

She remembers the first time she realized she never wanted kids, when she was with Noah in his backyard the summer of Junior year.

* * *

><p><em>They're laying on a blanket in his backyard, the warm summer air against their skin. They're both a little drunk, looking up at the stars the litter the darkened sky. <em>

_"Noah?" Rachel asks. _

_"Hm?" _

_"Do you ever think about having kids again?"_

_He turns to Rachel. "Is this your weird way of asking me to father your children?" _

_She turns red and hits him across the chest. "What?! Noah, no you idiot. I was just asking if in the future, with your future spouse, do you think you'll have kids." _

_He chuckles and shrugs. "I don't know Berry, depends on the person, I guess."_

_"What if you marry Quinn?" _

_He rolls his eyes. "That ship sailed, baby. There's no way I'm trying that again." _

_She smiles at him and looks back up at the sky. "What about with someone you love?"_

_He's quiet for a minute. Rachel thinks he might be ignoring her but then he speaks up again. _

_"Yeah, yeah, I guess so." He finally says. "What about you?" _

_She thinks it over before shaking her head. "No, I don't think so." _

_"Not even with Finn?" _

_This time it's her who rolls her eyes. "That ship has lonnggggg past sailed." _

_"What about me?" _

_She turns to him and frowns. "What about you?" _

_"What if we end up together. What if somehow someway we get stuck with each other forever. You end up on Broadway, I end up the lead singer of a rock band and we just end up together. Me and you. What about then?" _

_She turns to him, leaning on her elbow. He looks back at her waiting. _

_"No." She answers. _

_He almost looks offended. "Why the hell not?" _

_She laughs. "Because if I'm on Broadway and you're the lead of a famous band I'm not going to have time to be a mother, and you aren't going to have time to be a father. I'm not leaving my child with some nanny." _

_"Okay, so what if we both end up with boring normal people jobs? And we have time for a kid?" _

_She shakes her head. "I don't know, Noah. Probably no."_

_"Why not?" _

_"I don't want to be mother." Rachel answers. "What if I end up like my own mother?" _

_Puck sighs and tugs at Rachel until she practically falls against him. His arm secured at her waist and her head tucked under his. She doesn't even try to move, it feels nice. _

_"You won't end up like her, Rach." _

_"You don't know that." _

_Puck sighs against her hair. "I do though. You may have your mom's brown hair and her awesome singing skills, but you're a way better person then she'll ever be."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Promise." He laughs. _

_Rachel smiles and listens to the sound of Noah's heart as he strokes her back. It feels really good, so temptingly good. It's almost enough to make Rachel lean up and kiss Noah like she's wanted to since they started hanging out as friends. But even drunk Rachel realizes that it's not a good idea. _

_"I'm still not having kids." Rachel says after a while. _

_She feels Noah shake against her with laughter, his heart beat fluttering in his chest almost as hard as hers._

* * *

><p>Caroline wakes up a little while later and Quinn takes her almost immediately to her apartment for 'bonding' as Quinn called it.<p>

The apartment feels almost empty without Rachel's daughter in it.

"We're alone." Puck says, smirking at Rachel almost seconds after Quinn left.

Rachel blushes. "We are."

"Go get changed."

Rachel frowns, confused. "Into what?"

"Something warm." He says. "We're going out."

She looks at him amused. "Out where?"

"Out, now go."

Rachel just sighs and listens to him, knowing that he's too stubborn to tell her anything now. Once he has an idea in his head there's nearly no chance of ever changing his mind.

She puts on a pair of jeans and a nice sweater and scarf combo. She puts on a little makeup, though not too much, and curls her hair so it falls softly against the frame of her face.

When she's ready she see's Noah's wearing jeans and a sweater as well, his a dark blue and looking all sorts of soft. He's pulling on his jacket and he smiles when he sees her.

"You might want to put on a hat and grab a pair of gloves, it's cold out there."

She raises an eyebrow but grabs the two garments anyway and puts the hat on, as well as the gloves. Then puts on her coat.

"All ready?" He asks.

She nods and takes his arm as the walk towards the door of his apartment.

"Yes, now where are we going?"

He smiles, leading her out the door and then closing it behind him.

"It's a surprise."

She groans. "The last time you tried to surprise me you ended up crashing your car into mine."

"That wasn't even my fault. If Sam would've just delivered the damn cake like I asked I would've never been running late and never would've hit that patch of black ice in front of your house."

She chuckles as they walk out into the cold streets of Baltimore. The snow is already coming down, not hard, but instead in light flakes that have covered the surrounding trees that line the sidewalks in a beautiful cover of snow.

Rachel smiles at the sight, smiles at the quietness the night brings them.

"I know it ain't New York..." Noah starts.

Rachel laughs, pulling herself closer to him where their arms are interlocked. "It's beautiful, Noah. It isn't New York, but honestly it's so much better."

"Really?" He asks.

She nods. "Yeah, New York, was well, it was New York. Busy, loud, so rushed," she laughs. "but here. It's still a city but it's quiet and peaceful and it only holds happy memories."

Puck smiles next to her as they walk. He knows he's apart of those happy memories and that makes his heart ache inside his chest.

They cross the street together and Puck walks them through the entrance of a park.

"Is this where you were taking me?" Rachel asks. She looks around in stunned silence as Puck nods at her.

The ground is covered in a thin layer of snow, as are the trees that expand throughout the park. Tall lampposts follow the park's trail with white twinkling lights cascading to connect them. There's a frozen pond in the distance with a few ice skaters, but other than that they are alone.

"Wow." Rachel manages.

Puck smiles beside her. "I know. This place," he sighs. "this place is what made me fall in love with this city."

"It's gorgeous."

Puck kisses the top of Rachel's head, and though she barely feels it through her winter hat she still blushes.

They walk for a little bit through the trail, talking here and there but mostly enjoying the silence the park offers them. It's probably one of the most serene places Rachel's ever been. She loves it here.

She looks over at Noah and smiles.

She loves it here, in Baltimore, in this park. But most of all she loves him.

She wouldn't love Baltimore without him. It wouldn't be the same.

"I can't believe it." She says.

Puck looks down at her in question.

"Believe what?"

"Out of all the places to eat and listen to music to in this city I happen upon the one place where you perform."

Puck chuckles next to her. "I told you we'd end up together."

She blushes and smiles. "I know, I didn't believe you. I wanted to, but I didn't. I thought I'd be in New York forever, do shows until I couldn't do shows anymore. And then when I couldn't perform I'd direct, produce, whatever."

"What even brought you to Baltimore? Why here?" Puck asks.

She looks up at him and shakes her head. "I tried New York, even ended up in Jersey for a bit. Coastal, that was nice. Tried Boston, didn't really like it. Philly, too dangerous. So then I just kept going and ended up in Baltimore. I was going to head to DC after this."

"What were you going to do test all the states until you found one you liked?" Puck asks with a laugh.

She rolls her eyes at him. "No," she says. "but I didn't know where I belonged. I was looking for the right place."

"Well you found it."

She leans up and kisses him on the cheek. Her lips are cold against his skin, and he has to stop himself from shivering.

"I don't know what I would've done if I wasn't with you the night I had Caroline." She admits. "I didn't have a plan, I didn't have anywhere to go. Honestly, I'd probably end up back in Lima."

Puck shook his head. "I don't think I'll ever go back."

"Not even for your family?"

They walk past the ice skaters and Rachel thinks of the time Puck took her skating, she smiles.

"Ma's visited a few times with my sister. But there's nothing left for me there." He says with a shrug. "Have you gone back?"

She shakes her head. "No, I haven't. Not since I left. My parents want to see her, Caroline. But I was thinking of inviting them out here. If that's okay?"

Puck smiles and nods. "Of course, I have to meet your parents as your boyfriend eventually, right?"

Rachel's eyes widen. She knew they were together, obviously. But hearing Puck say the magical 'b-word' out loud makes her heart swell. She doesn't think he's ever referred to himself as someone's boyfriend.

"Boyfriend?" She teases.

His cheeks redden, but he nods. "Well, duh. I'm basically raising your kid with you and we're having way too much sex to not be dating."

"You're also in love with me."

"And I'm also in love with you."

He stops walking and stares at her, realizing what he just said.

"You-what-how did-"

She kisses him quickly on the lips smiling. "It's okay, I love you too."

He blinks at her and shakes his head before a wide smile takes over his face.

"You're amazing, you know that?"

She kisses him again. "I know."

"I was going to tell you too," he laughs. "I had a speech and everything."

Rachel laughs. "A speech?"

"Mhm, a whole damn speech." He says. "I've been in love with you since high school, Rach, I wanted it to be real romantic."

She smiles. "Well, it was, the park was amazing. You can still tell me your speech if you want?"

He shakes his head. "No I pretty much summarized it for you," he chuckles. "loved you since high school, loved you and your baby now, happy that you let me into your life, I couldn't picture it any other way, I can't wait to marry you, blah, blah, blah."

This time it's Rachel that stops them.

"You want to get married?!" She squeals.

"Did I say that out loud?" Puck jokes.

"Noah!"

Puck starts laughing and Rachel swears he doesn't stop until they get back to their apartment.

And honestly, she wouldn't have it any other way.

_THE END._


	13. Epilogue

Caroline is one when Puck purposes, this time for real. Rachel's doing the dishes in their apartment with the summer air coming through the window and he asks her to marry him.

She says yes and Santana gets the whole thing on camera.

They get married that winter.

It's small, only close friends and family.

Both Beth and Caroline are the flower girls, though Beth claims she had to do all the work.

Caroline turns two and Rachel gets a job at a local bakery with a daycare located right next door.

That year Puck puts out an album, it doesn't make it to the top 100 or anything but everyone who knows him is still proud as hell.

Caroline turns three and they get a new apartment, three bedrooms. Puck says it's for his and Rach's future baby, but Santana claims it's hers when she misses her friends.

"You literally live across the hall." Puck will tell her.

"Doesn't matter." Santana will always say.

Santana and Mike tried the dating thing, but after two years call it quits. Mike wants to travel, Santana not so much.

She starts dating a girl that works with Rachel.

Caroline turns four when Sam and Quinn have their first baby.

She's five when they get married. And this time she does do all the work as the flower girl. To which Beth just rolls her eyes at, because as a sprouting teen, she rolls her eyes at almost everything that leaves everyone's mouths.

Rachel gets pregnant again when Caroline is six she gets a baby sister.

"Why can't it be a boy?" Cara whines. "She's gonna steal all my stuff!"

Rachel and Puck just laugh, and Caroline doesn't find the situation funny at all.

Caroline is seven when Beth is fifteen. Everytime Beth visits Caroline follows the older girl around.

Caroline starts asking for "cool shirts" and wants to know when she can make her hair pink too.

Rachel doesn't know how her daughter ended up a Puckerman without actually being born a Puckerman.

Caroline is ten when she breaks her first bone, her arm during a soccer game. She's eleven when she wins the school spelling bee, and twelve when she asks Santana how lesbians "do it".

Caroline is thirteen when she starts babysitting Derek, Sam and Quinn's son. Who Cara swears is the most annoying nine year old on the planet.

"He doesn't like power rangers dad." She tells Puck. "Who the hell doesn't like the freakin' power rangers?"

She's fourteen when she kisses a boy for the first time. And she's fifteen when she kisses a girl.

She's sixteen when Beth graduates college and she swears she hasn't seen her father cry like that since her baby sister was born.

She's seventeen when her mom teaches her to drive and she's eighteen when she gets accepted into Notre Dame with a full ride scholarship and gives her speech as her high school's valedictorian.

Her dad can barely seem to let her go when they get her set up in her dorm room.

"I'll call you as soon as our plane lands." He says.

"Dad, you really don't have to."

"No partying tonight."

"Dad-"

"And no drugs... unless it's weed."

"Noah!"

She's nineteen and she falls in love, then she's twenty and falls out of love.

She's twenty-one and Santana flies all the way to Indiana to take her out for her first legal drink. For a woman over 40 her aunt knows how to party.

She's twenty-two and her sister gets stood up at junior prom. She drives all the way home in her beat up jeep and spends the weekend with her.

She's twenty-three and graduates from college. She goes home to Baltimore and starts teaching at her old high school.

At twenty-four her parents get really drunk and tell her the story of how they met. High school best friends, torn apart, only to be reunited again by her, by their sweet Caroline.

She sits there and listens to them banter about first dates, and first kisses, and first times. She watches them smile at each other and laugh and flirt as if they're nineteen again.

She looks at her parents, and hopes that one day she could find a love as pure and rich as theirs.


End file.
